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Modest hero gets commendation

big bad john

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This is what we should hear about more in the media, the stories of what the people in the Forces do for John and Jane Q. Public.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/519867.html

Modest hero gets commendation

By ASHLEIGH McKENNA

He used to have trouble being called a hero, so now his wife tells him just to say thank you.

"I did what I had to do because that’s what needed to be done at the time," Master Cpl. Mike Leal said Thursday afternoon after being presented with the Chief of Defence Staff Commendation for going beyond the demands of normal duty.

"I’m assuming that hopefully anybody else would have done the same thing."

In March 2005, Master Cpl. Leal, then a corporal, rescued Paula Ferguson from her burning car. He woke up to see the crashed vehicle flipped on its side near his Seaforth home. The 24-year military veteran immediately jumped out of bed and grabbed a fire extinguisher.

Ms. Ferguson, a mother of three, had been on her way home to her daughters — then 11, five and three — when she drove off the road. Master Cpl. Leal, based at 12 Wing Shearwater, put out a bit of the fire, then broke the rear hatch window and carried her to safety.

"I don’t consider myself a hero because I did what I did," he said over the phone before sitting down to dinner at Ms. Ferguson’s home. They hadn’t met before the accident, but now "it’s almost like I have a second family," the father of two said.

Master Cpl. Leal, an avionics systems technician, was presented the citation by Lt.-Gen. Walter Natynczyk, the vice-chief of defence staff, while his wife and youngest daughter and Ms. Ferguson and her three daughters looked on.

"I suppose it made me feel special," he said of the laid-back, hour-long ceremony.

"But I don’t know; I did what I had to do."

Lt.-Col. Stephen Newton of 12 Wing Shearwater was also recognized in Thursday’s ceremony for extraordinary work.

The commanding officer of 406 Maritime Operational Training Squadron was honoured for his leadership and his dedication to his work with uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Lt.-Col. Newton, known as Fig, was working in Ottawa when the team he was leading developed the plan to test and evaluate the vehicles, leading to a series of Canadian UAV firsts.

Master Cpl. Leal said his framed scroll would definitely hang in his home and he would proudly wear his new gold bar adorned with three Maple Leafs. But that didn’t mean he made any special requests for Thursday’s dinner.

"Guys are easy; put food in front of them, give them a beer and they’re happy."

( amckenna@herald.ca)


 
This is great to see.

I remember a Sgt who gave a FA course I took saying that as people who wear green (this applies to Blue & white as well) we have a higher responsibility to safety as responders.

We are not only trained to give FA, but we are also trained to take control of a situation, and to think on our feet. Never walk past a person or people in need, never ignore. Be it a car stuck on the side of the road, or a fire.

Don't go out of your way to put yourself at risk, but always be ready to help people in need.

Kudos to MCpl Leal
 
big bad john said:
The 24-year military veteran immediately jumped out of bed and grabbed a fire extinguisher.
This should read 24-year old.
 
Hats off to him - it's always nice to read about CF personnel getting credit for a job well done.
 
m410 said:
This should read 24-year old.

Actually, MCpl Leal transferred to the Regular Force in 1982, so the remark is currently correct in terms of his Reg F service.  He also served in the Reserves (PLF; 1977-82) prior to his Component Transfer.
 
Michael O'Leary said:
Actually, MCpl Leal transferred to the Regular Force in 1982, so the remark is currently correct in terms of his Reg F service.  He also served in the Reserves (PLF; 1977-82) prior to his Component Transfer.

Ahh, I get it now.  This MCpl Leal is from Seaforth, Nova Scotia.  He rescued a woman from her burning car.
A few years ago (within the last five I believe), a (young) Cpl from the Seaforth Highlanders in Vancouver also saved a woman from her burning car.  He also got through the back window.

What a bizarre coincidence!
 
[/quote]

Congratulations/Well Done  M/Cpl Leal.

Its a pity the Media can't pickup Nationally, News items of our Service Men & Women like this.

Cheers.
 
I agree with everyone,

Why can't we hear more about the good things that Our Soldiers do, in and out of uniform.

Oh I forgot grief sells. My fault.
 
Hmmmmm...perhaps CF members have a trend that wasn't highlighted until this point.

5yrs ago, heading westbound on 17th Ave. SW in Calgary, AB  (Sometime in June, can't remember the exact date) - myself and a Cpl. were heading for Mewata Armouries in the early afternoon.

A woman lost control of her vehicle (Don't ask me how, anybody who knows that street knows its a pretty slow moving street) - anyhow, she lost control of her vehicle and slammed into the lightpost on the corner of 17th Ave and 4th Street.  At first, it sounded like someone dropped a big, metal object.  We sat there, and didn't think anything of it - until a wall of glass started to rain down on the intersection.  (Her windshield).  It took us a few minutes to put it all together, but when our brains caught up to what was going on, we realized what had happened.

We both jumped out of the vehicle, and joined a group of people who had also rushed over to help her.  Between about 8 guys working their asses off to pull her from the car (Which was twisted all around her) - it was the Cpl. who tore the trunk off, and went in via the trunk.  Despite the engine catching fire, the fire did not enter the passenger compartment - thank God, because nobody could get the doors free to get her out.  He went in via the trunk, and opened the door from the inside, effectively allowing the rest of us to pry the door off and get her out, and get her to the other side of the street.

If it hadn't been for the brains of that particular Cpl, I don't think we ever would have gotten those doors open.

Bravo to the MCpl - a good man who is humble about his actions.  Need more of them these days, no doubt.
 
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