St. John Ambulance event honours 18 people for saving lives in N.L.
Eighteen people from across Newfoundland and Labrador were honoured at Government House in St. John's on Thursday for their acts in helping to save lives.
The event was hosted by St. John Ambulance, with Lt.-Gov. Judy Foote on hand to present the specific gold and silver awards to recipients.
Logan Hatcher was the solo gold award honouree for an act in 2019 which saved his father's life.
"It's nice to be recognized for doing something, but the main important thing is my dad can still work at all. He's still enjoying his life, that's the only thing that really is really beneficial to me at all," Hatcher told CBC News.
Hatcher and his father were fishing with family members near Portugal Cove-St. Philips when their boat collided with a whale, throwing his father overboard in the crash which left him with a severe cut to his arm after hitting the motor's propellor.
Hatcher jumped into the water himself to lift his father back into the boat and managed to slow his father's bleeding while another man — Philip Gruchy, who received a silver award on Thursday for his help in the event — radioed for assistance.
"He's proud of me," Hatcher said of his father. Both men currently live in Ontario.
Other award recipients on Thursday include Mike Upshall of Torbay, who in August, 2019 saved his son Parker from choking. Five months later, Parker Upshall saved a classmate from choking at Holy Trinity Elementary in Torbay. Both Upshalls were given a silver award.
There is also Gordon Payne who in May saved former premier Paul Davis from choking at a restaurant in Trinity.
Here's the full list of Thursday's honourees:
Logan Hatcher, gold award.
Philip Gruchy, silver award.
Mike Upshall, silver award.
Parker Upshall, silver award.
Gordon Payne, silver award.
Ashlee Babb, silver award.
Elwood White, silver award.
Gary Regular, silver award.
RNC Const. Matthew Brett, silver award.
RNC Const. Andrew Smith, silver award.
Chad Howell, silver award.
Cora Doran, silver award.
Crystal Lynn Power, silver award.
Nathan Sullivan, silver award.
Ken Forward, silver award.
Robert Ryall, silver award.
Scott White, silver award.
Matthew Beck, silver award.
Details of each recipient's life saving act can be found through the St. John Ambulance Facebook page.
