Alberta teen awarded esteemed bravery medal after saving man in boat capsize

Two Alberta teens say a junior lifeguard program helped them save a man's life, now they're encouraging others to get trained.

An Alberta teen has been awarded a bravery medal after saving two men whose boat capsized on Wabamun Lake four years ago.

Benjamin Gerber, who was 12 years old at the time, and his sister Amelia who was 10, were tubing with their family when the weather changed suddenly.

“It got super choppy and it was rough out and it was starting to get dangerous,” Benjamin told CTV News Edmonton.

While they were headed back to shore, they spotted a sail boat that had flipped over and two men struggling in the water.

Luckily for them, Benjamin and Amelia were strong swimmers and were in Junior Lifeguard Club at the time.

“When you see the scene with all the training that you have, you just kind of automatically go,” said Amelia.

Both of the men were wearing life jackets, but they were of poor quality. One of the men was unresponsive when Benjamin approached him.

At the time, Benjamin was used to carrying 40-pound mannequins at Junior Lifeguard Club; he recalled the man weighing at least 300 pounds.

“It’s a drastic change, but if you have the right training and the right mind, you can figure it out,” said Amelia who supported Benjamin while he pulled the man about 50 feet through the water.

Benjamin is now being awarded the Lifesaving Medal with the Bar for Bravery and the M.G. Griffiths Certificate, the second-highest national bravery award presented by the Lifesaving Society Canada.

“It definitely feels like that save means something more than just what happened,” said Benjamin. “It’s like a physical piece that reminds you of what you did.”

The lifesaving-duo will be speaking at a World Drowning Prevention Day ceremony in Edmonton Friday.

“I think it’s a big accomplishment, especially for how little we were at the time,” said Amelia.

Currently Benjamin has his national lifeguard certification and is able to teach swimming lessons. Amelia has to wait until she turns 15 to get certified.

“It gives me an opportunity to have a job (where) I’m still protecting people,” said Benjamin.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Noah Rishaug