Adam Lefort accepts his Medal of Bravery from Premier Tim Houston and Minister Brad Johns in Halifax last week.
November 15, 2023
-by Rankin MacDonald
A young man from Inverness County was presented with Nova Scotia’s highest recognition for bravery at a ceremony held in Halifax on Wednesday of last week.
Adam Lefort of Grand Etang received the Medal of Bravery from Premier Tim Houston for saving the life of a woman in the Margaree River on June 22nd, 2021.
“Nova Scotians always look out for one another, even in the most difficult and dangerous circumstances. The heroic actions of Talbot, Scott, Adam, and Robert are an inspiration to us all,” said Premier Houston. “On behalf of all Nova Scotians, I want to recognize and thank these individuals for their bravery and selfless acts when people needed it the most.”
The medal is awarded to Nova Scotians who have risked their lives protecting the lives or property of others.
“I’m no hero,” he told The Oran on Monday.
But that is not how the rest of the county, province, and country see him. He risked his life to save the life of another who was tubing on the Margaree River on the sunny day in June of 2021.
“It was at a place in the river near Cranton Crossroads,” he said. “It was a very nice day.”
He said it was very much a routine day for his family and friends who enjoy tubing on the Margaree River.
Adam said they inflated their tubes and launched in a part of the river they had never tubed before and they didn’t know the area or that part of the river very well.
He said they brought along some new people who had never done this adventure before, but he and his group tube quite a bit so weren’t apprehensive at all.
On a run Adam usually takes the lead, scouts out hazards, and relays the information back to the main group.
He keeps a close eye out for obstructions, rapids, or dense bush and they weren’t too far into their run when he noticed that one of the tubers had gotten ahead of him.
“She got ahead of me and got caught in the rapids where another stream entered the Margaree making the waters very unpredictable.
There was also a fallen tree in the river and when he looked to see how she was doing she was no longer in the tube.
“I got to her as fast as I could, but she was stuck under the tree’s roots,” he added.
She was trapped in the deep water, unable to swim until Adam pulled her to the surface and they hung on to the tree waiting for more help to arrive.
In order to be rescued, he had to help her down river to a smoother spot so that the others could get to them.
He is a good swimmer but it took a long five minutes before they were joined by other rescuers.
Adam was just 16 years old at the time, but is one of those young men with, as they say, “a good head on his shoulders.”
Since then, this former army cadet has graduated from Cape Breton Highlands Academy and is working in the area.
His cool head and skills saved a life on that June day.
Others receiving the Medal of Bravery on Wednesday were Robert McGregor who on June 11th, 2020, made several attempts to pull a person to safety from a burning house in Truro. He got the person to safety but they later died in hospital from burns suffered in the fire.
On January 29th, 2021, Talbot Boyer was operating a Halifax Transit bus when he noticed a vehicle on its roof and on fire on Upper Water Street in Halifax. Mr. Boyer pulled the occupant out of the burning vehicle and used snow to douse the flames. The vehicle exploded moments later.
On February 17th, 2020, Scott Buchanan saved two people who fell through ice at a waterfall near Baddeck. Mr. Buchanan jumped through the hole in the ice into the water 2.1 metres (seven feet) below and shielded individuals from the force of the current, holding on to them for 20 minutes while waiting for help to arrive.
“The acts of bravery of those recognized today inspire each and every one of us with their courage and their selflessness. These individuals are heroes, and we thank them for their brave actions,” said Brad Johns, attorney general and minister of Justice.
Since 2008, 47 Nova Scotians have received the Medal of Bravery.
