Georgia Laurie, a 31-year-old woman from Sandhurst, UK, will be honored with the King’s Gallantry Medal for rescuing her twin sister from a crocodile attack in Mexico, highlighting acts of bravery recognized in the Civilian Gallantry List approved by King Charles.
Georgia Laurie, a 31-year-old woman from Sandhurst, UK, will be awarded the King’s Gallantry Medal after saving her twin sister Melissa from a crocodile attack in June 2021. The incident occurred in a lagoon in Oaxaca, Mexico, where the crocodile bit Georgia’s arm and dragged Melissa underwater, attacking her three times. Despite the harrowing encounter, both sisters survived, although Melissa developed sepsis from her wounds.
The Civilian Gallantry List, newly approved by King Charles, recognizes individuals for acts of bravery. Georgia expressed that receiving the gallantry medal was an unexpected honor that provided a silver lining to their traumatic experience. The list includes other recipients such as Police Constable Zach Printer, who confronted an armed gunman in Plymouth, and Police Constable Steven Denniss, who was stabbed while detaining a murder suspect in Lincolnshire.
This year marks the first issuance of the Civilian Gallantry List under King Charles, who ascended the throne on May 6 of the previous year. The list also honors several others for their courageous acts in various dangerous and life-threatening situations.