Two Cherryville residents have been recognized as heroes.
Clifford Melbrew and Jason Van Wyk were honoured Friday at the Westbank Lions Community Centre with bravery awards from the Royal Canadian Humane Association.
In May 2015, Melbrew was camping and having dinner when he heard screams for help coming from Sugar Lake.
He immediately ran to his boat and with cousin Van Wyk, they raced to the middle of the lake. There they found a capsized boat and three people floundering in the choppy, freezing water.
The victims were in shock and extremely cold, with no strength left to climb into the boat on their own. They were wrapped in blankets and placed next to a heater aboard the boat.
“The quick response and first-aid training by Cliff and Jason undoubtedly saved the three people from succumbing to hypothermia and drowning,” states the citation from the Royal Canadian Humane Society.
Twenty-three individuals from across the province received awards for saving or attempting to save a life from incidents including fires, motor vehicle accidents, drownings, crime prevention, and medical emergencies.