Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
River rescue results in bravery medal
Risked life to save snowmobiler
Winifred Lindsay: rescued (MIKE APORIUS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS ARCHIVES)
Harry Prymak will be in Ottawa Thursday to receive a Medal of Bravery from Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean. (PHIL.HOSSACK@FREEPRESS.MB.CA)
THREE years after he plunged into a freezing river to save a man's life, Harry Prymak is being honoured by the country's highest office.
On Thursday, Prymak will join six other Manitobans in Ottawa, where Gov. Gen. Michaëlle Jean will present them with Medals of Bravery for their heroism.
In March 2007, Prymak and seven friends were ice fishing near Lac du Bonnet when a woman's scream pierced the air: A snowmobiler had crashed through the softening ice.
"I just caught it out of the corner of my eye. I saw him go underwater," said Prymak, who lives in the RM of St. Clements. "So I grabbed a fishing rod, the other guys went for ropes, and I crawled over on my belly... and had him three-quarters of the way out."
The rescue turned dicey when the ice broke, plunging Prymak into the frigid river. By that time, friends Shaun Harper, Wayne Kuczek and Gerry Kuczek had arrived, and together the crew hauled the snowmobiler to safety.
With Harper now living in Vancouver, Prymak said the highlight of the Thursday ceremony will be a chance for the quartet to reunite. "It's kind of a get-together for us," Prymak said. "Beyond that, we're not expecting anything."
Jean will present one Star of Courage and 46 Medals of Bravery during a ceremony Thursday morning at Rideau Hall.
Other Manitoba recipients of the Medal of Bravery are:
"ö Transit driver Jerry Beernaerts, who jumped out of his bus and helped rescue Winifred Lindsay, whose motorized scooter had overturned on railway tracks with a train coming;
"ö RCMP Cpl. James Allan Munro, of Dauphin, who rescued a man from an apartment fire in Flin Flon in June 2005; and
"ö Mst. Cpl. Jonas Denechezhe and Clifford Tssessaze, of Lac Brochet, who helped save a woman and her two-year-old son from a house fire in that community in October 2006.
melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition February 3, 2010 A7
The comment period for this story has ended.
-
Breaking News Alerts
Sign up for our new Breaking News Alerts
-
Editor's Bulletin
Sign up for daily bulletins
-
Winnipeg road closures
Check if your commute is affected
-
Blogs to Watch
We pick our favourite local blogs for you to follow
-
Breaking News Widget
Create and embed a Winnipeg Free Press breaking news widget on your site or blog
-
Twitter
Follow our reporters and news feeds on Twitter
Ads by Google
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
Poll
Most Popular
- Judge embroiled in sex scandal removes self from bench
- Forecasters say hurricane Earl's track on course for Atlantic Canada by Saturday
- $900K in meth seized at Winnipeg home
- Couple in unwanted spotlight
- Man struck by transit bus
- Angry mob beats couple with bats, sticks
- New owner shows faith in downtown eatery
- Judge disclosed 'problem'
- Don't get knickers in knot over latest Coyotes rumours
- ESPN says Hulsizer interested in buying Coyotes
- Boyfriend's porno secret discovered
- Woman dead after apparent fall from downtown high-rise
- Judge embroiled in sex scandal removes self from bench
- Fidel Castro claims al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden is a US agent. Is he right?
- Families find Manitoba's first jellyfish
- Homicide unit investigating fatal fall
- Couple in unwanted spotlight
- Ice Edge eyes Thunder Bay, looks to advise new Coyotes owner
- Hurricane Earl will likely impact East Coast weather: Canadian Hurricane Centre
- Forecasters say hurricane Earl's track on course for Atlantic Canada by Saturday
- Boyfriend's porno secret discovered
- Woman drowns in Tuxedo swimming pool
- Major downpour floods streets, knocks out power
- Woman dead after apparent fall from downtown high-rise
- Judge embroiled in sex scandal removes self from bench
- Pedestrian dies after collision with truck
- Illegal channel irks cottagers
- Severe weather enters Manitoba
- Jennifer's body
- Earls on Main fined $4,000, loses liquor licence for a day
- Man struck by transit bus
- Hotel buyouts in core for fewer drunks?
- ESPN says Hulsizer interested in buying Coyotes
- Mayoral candidate Gill wants to introduce Crime Free Housing
- Three Mounties and three jail staff suspended for watching sex in cell
- Swan defends himself and police, offends victim
- Blowing up F-35 deal would cause diplomatic-economic collateral damage: Tories
- Don't get knickers in knot over latest Coyotes rumours
- Blue add import receiver to practice roster
- New owner shows faith in downtown eatery
- Blue attack likely boosted by some happy returns
- 'I make the rules,' PM declares as he takes ATV for Arctic joy ride
- Care denied after fee not paid
- Ice Edge eyes Thunder Bay, looks to advise new Coyotes owner
- Swan defends himself and police, offends victim
- Nation-building, not politics, behind week-long Arctic tour: Harper
- Boy killed in ATV crash
- Wasylycia-Leis demands details on sewage contract
- Hotel buyouts in core for fewer drunks?
- New stretch of skywalks opens
- Care denied after fee not paid
- RM denies permission for group home
- Just a sec, say traffic activists
- Band threatens to block access to Whiteshell
- Mayor promises first-class stadium
- Canopy opens can of worms
- Brian really was lyin'
- Wasylycia-Leis pledges to launch two new crime-fighting programs
- Toews says ship carrying migrants a 'test boat'
- Group home residents aren't the scary ones
- Judge embroiled in sex scandal removes self from bench
- Most severely wounded troops shortchanged by Veterans Charter: report
- Judge disclosed 'problem'
- Housing market solid
- The struggle against jihad
- New owner shows faith in downtown eatery
- $900K in meth seized at Winnipeg home
- Man drives truck onto airport runway
- Rural high-speed Internet, phone rebates on the way
- Fire damages three portable classrooms attached to Stanley Knowles School
- Judge embroiled in sex scandal removes self from bench
- Families find Manitoba's first jellyfish
- Polar bear takes dip in river at Shamattawa
- Ontario to track overuse of OxyContin and other prescriptions drugs
- Light & dark
- Housing bubble threat resurfaces as prices in major markets hit 30-year highs
- Crews respond to hazardous material call at Canada Post
- Most severely wounded troops shortchanged by Veterans Charter: report
- Dashcam video shows car flying into overpass, being reduced to parts; driver critical
- Alleged extremist a one-time Canadian Idol contestant?
- Judge embroiled in sex scandal removes self from bench
- Dashcam video shows car flying into overpass, being reduced to parts; driver critical
- Families find Manitoba's first jellyfish
- Tiny 10-year-old stuns judges, audience with huge voice
- Hands-free accidents waiting to happen
- N.D. clinic to offer controversial MS screening
- Green slime can be toxic, experts say
- Best films in Hollywood history to be shown on big screen
- True North unveils new exhibition hall
- Medical school training programs under scrutiny
Events
September 2, 2010
Jetty Road with special guests, Keith and Renee
Australia’s country music “Group of the Year” is confirmed to play at the Pyramid Cabaret (176 Fort Street) on September 1 and 2, 2010. Manitoba fans will remember Jetty Road’s foot-stomping main stage appearance at Dauphin’s ...
0 Comments
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.