‘Heroes walk among us’: Courageous acts of British Columbians recognized at awards ceremony

Courageous people from across B.C. who chose to step up in moments of danger were honoured Friday at a ceremony in Surrey.

There are people, who in moments of danger, choose to step forward rather than back.

And 23 of these courageous people from across the province were honored Friday for their acts of bravery and life-saving efforts.

In a special ceremony, the Royal Canadian Humane Association awarded Good Samaritans, ordinary citizens and police going above the call of duty, with medals of either bronze, silver or gold, for acts of bravery.

The event marked the first time that gold medals have been awarded by the association in at least three decades in B.C.

Among those receiving the highest recognition was Cody Vernon. He risked his life to help a truck driver ejected after his vehicle collided with a train in Maple Ridge last August.

Vernon was working nearby when he heard the crash and ran to help.

He saw the truck was on fire, but couldn’t initially find the driver.

“Found him right up next to the burning truck… Everyone’s yelling, ‘Stay away from the truck. It’s going to blow up. Stay away. Stay away.’ And I’m thinking, I don’t want this guy to die,” Vernon told CTV News.

He and his co-worker moved the man out of danger.

Also recognized at the event were three Surrey police officers who helped bring eight people, including seniors, to safety after a home caught fire.

“After we booted the door down, we went inside and there was some smoke inside. We saw some elderly people going toward flames in the front of the house,” explained Const. Gideon Damong, a silver medal recipient.

“We directed (the residents) to come to the back where it was safer. One of the ladies there, she fell on the ground, so we had to pick her up and carry her outside the house,” he said.

“I think it’s just part of our duty. It’s what we signed up for,” he said of the award.