14 Manitoba water rescuers honoured at Winnipeg ceremony

Manitobanswho helped save the lives of others in water-related emergencies were honoured at a ceremony Tuesday night in Winnipeg.

The annual Lifesaving Society Manitoba Rescue Commendation Awards were held at Government House on Kennedy Street by the Manitoba Legislature.

The stories of 14 Manitoba heroes and those they saved were shared at the event.

ColinCheyshelped savedHarikeshMarwahafrom drowning at Rushing River Provincial Park last summer.

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It's one of those things that you just react, said Cheys. I wasn't really thinking, I was just doing.

Cheys was leaving the main beach area of the park with his family when he heard screaming calls for help.

Others nearby told him there was a man underwater. He dove in and surfaced with Marwaha in his arms.

When I got him to a rock surface, a young woman helped me start putting him up to the rock and Joel Vertone, an off duty police officer, he came by and was able to easily pull the man the remainder of the way out of the water and was able to start performing CPR on him right away, said Cheys.

Both Cheys and Vertone received awards for saving a life without any formal lifesaving training.

Five others were also acknowledged in the same category, including Colton Spraggs, Tyler Bruce Curle and Brianna Workman.

Spraggs, Curle, Workman and two others from Alberta (Whitney Thorp and Danny Stone) helped save a man who went unconscious and almost drowned while tubing on Lake Minnedosa in August of 2013.

Carl Shier, chief executive officer with the Manitoba branch of the Lifesaving Society, said many of the award recipients helped save people they didnt even know.

In most cases they've saved the lives of strangers, said Shier. They stepped up. They really put their own selves at risk and it's made such a wonderful difference that we have eight Manitobans alive today because of the actions of these 14 individuals.

Cheys said that while he couldve never predicted he would be in a position to save a life, the experience will stay with him.

It will be with me forever, said Cheys.