Winnipeg woman receives award for rescuing teens on Lake Manitoba
A Winnipeg woman is being honoured for her heroics after saving two teens last year on Lake Manitoba.
Renata Bandel is being recognized by the Carnegie Hero Fund by being awarded the Carnegie Medal.
The award is given to civilians in Canada and the United States who risk their lives to save or try to save another person.
Bandel was one of 18 people to receive the award and only one of two Canadians on the list.
"I was very excited and honoured to be receiving such a prestigious award. I never dreamed that that would happen," said Bandel.
She is receiving the award for her efforts in saving two 17-year-old girls at Lake Manitoba on June 3, 2020.
Bandel said is was a perfect day to be outside and she and her family went to Delta beach.
While there, she said three teenage girls decided to go into the water on a raft, noting they were all wearing life jackets.
"They got swept out towards the middle of the lake and could not paddle back against the strong winds and waves."
Bandel said one of the girls stayed on the raft and was eventually able to call 911.
"Two of the girls decided to try and swim towards shore rather than stay on the raft and they continued to get swept further and further from shore."
Bandel said while she was playing in the water with her family, she was told that someone was in the water calling for help.
"I sent my niece back to shore and swam towards the first girl. She was so relieved, but also terrified for her other two friends."
Bandel said she brought the girl back to shore where emergency crews had arrived.
However, Bandel said she couldn't just stand around waiting for emergency crews to find where the other girl was.
"I decided to go into the deep water and maybe see or hear her and then my sister caught my attention… I saw the little red dot."
She said she started swimming to the second girl, battling the wind and the choppy water, but was eventually able to reach her.
Bandel started to bring the second girl back to shore and that's when the RCMP water rescue boat came and they got on board, and went and found the third girl who was still floating on the raft.
"I'm so glad that I was in the right place at the right time."
One of the girls was taken to hospital and treated for hypothermia.
Bandel said she isn't sure what sparked her to jump to action, but she knew she had to help.
"I think it was pure adrenaline…I didn't notice the temperature (of the water), I didn't notice being tired, I didn't notice anything. I just locked in on the girls and swam to them."
The Carnegie Medal has been given out to more than 10,000 people and the award is given out four times a year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.