When a vehicle collision ignited his gas station, Comox Valley resident Junyi Liu rushed outside to rescue the trapped driver on the evening of May 20, 2023.
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In the following months, the 41-year-old man was awarded the Town of Comoxsa国际传媒檚 Citizen Service Award and the .
Little did he know, Liusa国际传媒檚 local act of heroism would eventually be recognized on the North American stage. On March 25, 2024, the Chinese-born man was awarded the prestigious and a one-time grant of US$5,500.
Junyi, the co-owner of Esso in , responded heroically to a fire, saving a life. Recognized by Town Council, he has now been awarded North America's top civilian honour by Carnegie Hero Fund. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition, Junyi!
sa国际传媒� Town of Comox (@TownofComox)
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 considered the highest honour for civilian heroism in North America,sa国际传媒� said Jewels Phraner, Carnegie Hero Fund Commission director of communication. sa国际传媒淢ore than 10,000 medals have been given out over the course of the commissionsa国际传媒檚 120-year history.sa国际传媒�
The requirements to be a recipient of this award are extremely stringent, explained Phraner.
sa国际传媒淎 person must voluntarily risk themselves to an extraordinary degree in saving or attempting to save another person,sa国际传媒� she said.
Following the incident, Liu told Black Press Media that despite the danger and initial fear, his instinct kicked in and the rest is history.
sa国际传媒淓verything I did was just automatic, I didnsa国际传媒檛 think about anything. It went so fast,sa国际传媒� Liu said in May 2023. sa国际传媒淚 didnsa国际传媒檛 think that I did something big. I think anyone else who would have been there would have done the same thing as I did.sa国际传媒�
According to Phraner, Liusa国际传媒檚 story perfectly fits with the medalsa国际传媒檚 ethos.
sa国际传媒淭his was an extraordinary act and Junyi kept his wits about him. He risked his life to pull the driver out of this car that was completely covered in flames. I think that that speaks to his character and speaks to him as a person.sa国际传媒�
Scottish-American philanthropist and industrialist Andrew Carnegie started the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission initiative in 1904 to highlight civilian acts of heroism so they would not go unnoticed.
sa国际传媒淎ndrew Carnegiesa国际传媒� knew that he couldnsa国际传媒檛 (push) others to act heroically, but he thought that the world would be a better place if we all knew aboutsa国际传媒� these heroes,sa国际传媒� said Phraner.
sa国际传媒淲e have found that a lot of our heroes are extremely humble. They think that they did something that anyone would do and they were just in the right place at the right time,sa国际传媒� Phraner said. sa国际传媒淚 think one of the biggest values of becoming a Carnegie hero is that we are an independent organization that can point to people and objectively say sa国际传媒榃hat you did was special and brave.sa国际传媒� sa国际传媒�
Black Press Media reached out to Liu for comments on receiving the award but did not receive a reply by deadline.
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