GG awards Tuktoyaktuk man with Medal of Bravery for ice rescue

Vince Teddy is being honoured for his bravery, winning a medal from the Governor General for rescuing an elder on the ice in Tuktoyaktuk in 2015.

Julie Payette awarded Teddy the Medal of Bravery at Rideau Hall on Friday. It's awarded to Canadians who've risked their lives to save or protect others.

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In Oct. 2015, Teddy rescued an elder named Gordon who fell through the ice in the Tuktoyaktuk harbour. The elder was driving a sled and stopped at Teddy's fishing hole before he fell through.

"You could hear the Ski-Doo going off in the distance, but then I couldn't hear it anymore," Teddy explained. "I looked out and all I could see was a little black dot on the ice.

"I understood what had happened and said, 'Oh no.'"

Since there had been a snowfall earlier in the day, it wasn't clear where the ice was safe, Teddy explained. When he got close to the hole, he had to crawl for the last five metres on the thin ice, bringing a toboggan with him.

The man was calm as he held onto the ice, telling Teddy that he was OK, despite the freezing cold water.

"He just kept saying to me, 'I'm alright Vince, I'm OK, I'll just wait for you here," Teddy said. "I wanted to keep talking with him so that way I knew he's alright and let him know that I'm alright."

Since the ice was too thin for Teddy to crawl right up to the elder, he swung the toboggan over to the hole in the ice.

After pulling the elder out, Teddy crawled toward the beach before falling through the ice himself.

"I stood up, I thought it was alright, but when I gave a tug I went through," he said. "But I was prepared for that, I spread out my arms, made sure I didn't go through all the way and pulled myself out."

"I was in only three or four seconds at the most, when I rolled over onto the ice I was wet and OK. Feet were getting cold, but I was OK," he said. "Then I pulled him until we're on the good ice."

"Then I said, "We're OK. We're safe."