Chris Pearson, a welder at Skookumchuck Pulp, and Jason Sherratt, a past mill employee, were recently recognized by the Kimberly RCMP for saving a three-year-old girl’s life. They rescued and resuscitated the little girl who was swimming in Wasa Lake. Thanks to both men’s quick response, a tragedy was averted.

From the news article:

On Thursday, Jul. 27 Sgt. Steven Woodcox, detachment commander of the Kimberley RCMP, presented certificates of appreciation to Cranbrook’s Jason Sherratt and Kimberley’s Chris Pearson for saving the life of a three-year-old girl who nearly drowned in Wasa Lake on July 25.

“The reason that we presented some awards to these gentlemen today is the fact that they got involved and stepped up and took action. This is the reason this little girl is alive today so I just wanted to recognize the brave efforts of these gentlemen,” Woodcox said.

“The family of the little girl couldn’t be happier for the action these two gentlemen took.”

After receiving the certificates outside the Kimberley RCMP station they shared their story of what happened that day with the Bulletin.

Sherratt and his son Nixen, and Pearson with his two boys Cole and Cooper were out at Wasa Lake for a boys day. They were all playing football on the beach and then Pearson offered to take Cooper out on his aluminum boat, but as soon as they got out, it died, so they had to row it back to shore.

“We were just kind of tinkering with it, the boys kind of took off and went and played with other kids on the beach,” Sherratt said. “Then Coop and Nix just came barreling down the beach towards us and started screaming that there was a little girl drowning. At first we thought they were just pulling our leg, like no she looks fine, because we could see a little girl standing by the water screaming, then they pointed out into the water and they were like, ‘no, look.’”

Read the full article here: Kimberley RCMP recognize Kootenay men who saved girl from drowning – Kimberley Daily Bulletin (kimberleybulletin.com)

Photo: Kimberley RCMP detachment commander Sgt. Steven Woodcox (centre) presents Jason Sherratt (left) and Chris Pearson (right), and their boys Nixen Sherratt (front left) and Cooper and Cole Pearson with certificates of appreciation for saving the life of a three-year-old girl who nearly drowned in Wasa Lake. Paul Rodgers photo.