Alec Daviau of Kirkland Lake has been named a Carnegie Hero, one of 17 people in North America to receive the honour for 2022.
Daviau, 39, rescued seven-year-old Emilia Fontana from drowning in Kirkland Lake on May 2, 2021.
“Emilia fell from a large rock into the Blanche River and was carried downstream in the swift current that contained branches, leaves and other debris,” said the announcement from the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission.
Daviau was nearby and ran downstream as he watched Emilia bobbing up and down in the water. He jumped in to attempt a rescue, but the cold water “took his breath away” and he had to return to land.
“The current continued to carry Emilia downstream (and) eventually she submerged and did not resurface,” Carnegie said in its announcement.
“Daviau, who ran downstream and lost sight of her, climbed a hill above the river to better see below the water’s surface. After spotting an object below the water’s surface that he believed might be Emilia, Daviau slid down to the bank, again entered the water, and waded and swam a short distance into the river.”
As reported by CTV’s Lydia Chubak at the time, he searched for Emilia with his hand under the water. He felt her hair and was able to pull her up.
“Daviau grasped Emilia, then swam and waded out of the water with her,” Carnegie said.
“Emilia was not breathing and did not have a pulse. Daviau and others who arrived resuscitated Emilia, who was hospitalized overnight for hypothermia. She recovered. Daviau was cold after the rescue and had difficulty breathing and walking. He also sustained lacerations and contusions to his legs; he recovered.”
A total of 17 people were named heroes by the Carnegie Hero Fund, all of whom risked their own lives to save others.
The Carnegie Medal is given throughout the U.S. and Canada to those who enter extreme danger while saving or attempting to save the lives of others. With this announcement, the Carnegie Medal has been awarded to 10,324 individuals since the inception of the Pittsburgh-based Fund in 1904.
Other honourees include including eight police officers who went above and beyond the line of duty to save others, a father who died attempting to rescue his drowning son, and a 70-year-old neighbour who entered a mobile home after a gas explosion to guide its occupant to safety.
“Each of these 17 individuals will receive the Carnegie Medal, North America’s highest honour for civilian heroism,” the announcement said.
Each of the recipients or their survivors will receive a financial grant. Throughout the 118 years since the Fund was established by industrialist-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, more than $44 million has been given in one-time grants, scholarship aid, death benefits, and continuing assistance.
