Whitehorse, Yukon

On October 16, 2016, Sean McGinnis rescued a distressed woman from drowning in the Yukon River. As he was out walking with a friend, Mr. McGinnis heard a strange noise coming from the water and immediately recognized it as a person in distress. Following the sound, he ran along the riverbank, entering the water several times before he finally caught sight of the victim, who was now floating, on the surface. He plunged into the freezing water and swam out several metres to reach the victim. Fighting against the current, he towed the woman back to shore and waited for help to arrive.

"It is an unexpected but wonderful honour to be awarded the Medal of Bravery." - Sean James Laurimer McGinnis, M.B.

Decorations for Bravery

Recipients of the Decorations for Bravery would never call themselves heroes, but that’s exactly what they are: everyday heroes. The individuals recognized by these decorations are those who have risked their lives and chose to defy their own instinct of survival to try to save a loved one or a perfect stranger whose life was in immediate danger.