A group of ordinary people gathered at the Anglican Cathedral yesterday to be honoured for doing an extraordinary thing—saving the life of another person.

St. John Ambulance held its annual Investiture and Life-Saving Award Ceremony. Eleven people received awards for their heroic efforts.

Among those honoured were Dr. Vernie Kanagasabai and first aid instructor Ren Holmberg who stepped in to save the life of a man who collapsed while out for a walk at Quidi Vidi Lake this past April.

James White was unresponsive at the scene until the two individuals were able to revive him through CPR. White spent almost two weeks in hospital on life support before making a full recovery.

White and his wife Lorraine were in the audience to watch his “angels” receive the award.

He says doctors don’t know what happened but know that without Dr. Kanagasabai and Holmberg, he wouldn’t be alive.

White says it was a coincidence that they were at the same place. He says he usually goes for a walk at Signal Hill, but for some reason went to Quidi Vidi Lake that day. He still can’t believe what happened and how the incident left no damage to his health.

The youngest recipient of the life-saving award is nine-year-old Simon Hart who came to his grandmother’s rescue when she began choking while they were eating lunch.

Hart’s mother had shown him basic first aid methods a couple of years back and he was able to use his skills to successfully save his grandmother’s life.

He says he was able to stay calm during the incident because he believed that his first aid skills would work.