The Quebec Lifesaving Society wants to honor the heroic gesture of Théo Ferland, this 12-year-old boy who saved a father and his children from drowning near Île d’Orléans on Wednesday, by presenting him with a “certificate of citation in rescue”.
• Read also: True hero at only 12 years old: he saves a father and his children from drowning
“It is 100% sure that I will be there. It makes me very happy,” said Théo Ferland on the phone, when The newspaper taught him that his gesture would be underlined.
His heroic story also toured Quebec on Friday, while the boy multiplied media interviews, the day after our report.
“Theo is very proud of him, and so am I,” said his mother, Cindy Langlois.
“Exceptional” gesture
Like every year, the Quebec Lifesaving Society will honor the acts of bravery of nearly a dozen heroes who saved one or more people from drowning, during a gala evening.
The event will take place on September 9, in Montreal.
Society chief executive Raynald Hawkins admits he was touched by the 12-year-old’s feat, as told The newspaper, THURSDAY.
“I immediately sent the article to the communications people, asking them to find a way to get in touch with this young man. The story is exceptional in itself and it is the least of things to underline it”, says Mr. Hawkins.
Against the current in the river
While Jean-Pierre Boily and his two children, Alice, 8, and Émile, 11, were drowning in the river on Wednesday afternoon, Théo swam against the current to reach the boat on which they had arrived.
Having never maneuvered a boat, the boy knew how to start and direct it towards the little family, to rescue them after drifting for nearly 20 minutes.
Jean-Pierre Boily and his two children, Émile, 11, and Alice, 8, saved from drowning by little Théo, 12, Wednesday afternoon, in the St. Lawrence River, near the Île bridge -of Orleans. August 17, 2023. Photos: Pascal Huot, QMI Agency.
Photos: Pascal Huot, QMI Agency.
Since the beginning of the year, the Quebec Lifesaving Society has counted 58 water-related deaths, the most recent of which involved the two people who were on board the seaplane which sank in the river earlier this week.
