Tears were inevitable for Julie Callaghan Friday as she was the centre of attention at the Chilliwack RCMP detachment, surrounded by firefighters, Mounties, CN Rail officers and others.
Callaghan鈥檚 brave attempt to rescue a man in a wheelchair stuck on rail tracks in 2018 was honoured with the Carnegie Medal for Extraordinary Heroism.
The president of the Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Hero Fund Commission was in Chilliwack to give Callaghan her medal.
In describing Callaghan鈥檚 actions that fateful day on May 26, 2018, Eric Zahren pointed out that the word 鈥渦nsuccessful rescue鈥� is not a term the foundation ever uses.
| The front of Julie Callaghan's Carnegie Medal for Extraordinary Heroism given to her on Dec. 13, 2019. (Paul Henderson/ The Progress) |
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Callaghan was in her car on Broadway Avenue at the rail crossing that day in 2018. Matthew Jarvis was crossing the tracks when the rear wheels of his wheelchair got stuck in the tracks. Callaghan and another woman sprung into action trying to free him from the predicament.
The entire action took about 15 seconds, and at the last second she tried to escape but a train travelling at 80 kilometres an hour crashed into her hand, killing Jarvis.
Her hand was severely damaged and on Oct. 21, 2019, she had three fingers and part of it amputated.
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In receiving the medal, Callaghan was emotional, thanking the first responders on the scene, firefighters and police officers.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 really know what to say, thank you,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been an overwhelming year for sure and it really hasn鈥檛 stopped, it just keeps going. I鈥檝e got all your backs if you are in trouble. I鈥檇 do it all again.鈥�
paul.henderson@theprogress.com
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