A Vernon doctor has been honoured posthumously with a Lifesaving Society award for rescuing his son from the Thompson River in Kamloops.
Dr. Michael Mthandazo was in Kamloops for a soccer tournament last summer when he entered the water to assist his son, who was struggling to swim.
He was able to get his young son out of the water to safety, but was swept away by the strong current and did not resurface.
His body was recovered from the river on Aug. 11, 2022.
"Michael showcased the power of a father's love for his child and embodied heroism at its finest by putting his son first. He made the ultimate sacrifice in saving the life of his son," the Lifesaving Society said.
Mthandazo was awarded the Silver Medal of Bravery for his lifesaving act.
The awards were handed out at the Michael J Fox Theatre in Burnaby on April 1.
Lori-Ann Drew, the society's rescue awards chair, accepted the award on Mthandazo's behalf. His family is in South Africa and will receive the award at a later date.
The awards also honoured teenager Aidan Godwin, who rescued a woman from Okanagan Lake after her boat crashed and knocked her unconscious at the Green Bay Bible Camp in West Kelowna.
The boat struck the camp dock at high speed, ejecting the woman into the water.
Godwin quickly swam to the female through floating debris and leaking boat fuel, bringing her back to shore, where first aid was provided until paramedics arrived.
Three men who rescued a man from Skaha Lake were also among the 17 recipients.
Late on a Friday night last June while camping at Wright's Beach Resort, a group of Vancouver residents heard cries for help coming from the lake.
Daniel Ferrer, Bruno James and Henry Reis quickly inflated their boat, attached the electric motor and were in the water in a matter of minutes. At the same time, family members on shore were calling 911 and gathering blankets and supplies.
They found a young man in the water just barely able to keep his mouth and nose above the surface.
Bruno jumped in the water to support the man, while Daniel and Henry pulled both of them onto the boat.
Soon after, rescue boats arrived and directed them to shore, where first responders were waiting.
At the time, the Penticton River Channel was high and flowing fast, causing the man to be swept out into the lake, in the dark.
