Saskatoon men who died in Humboldt Lake rescue receive Carnegie Medal

Two Saskatoon men have been awarded the Carnegie Medal – described as “North America’s highest honor for civilian heroism” – for their courage during a rescue on Humboldt Lake in November.

Christopher and Joseph Novecosky both drowned while trying to rescue seven-year-old Ava Novecosky and six-year-old Evelyn Novecosky after the girls fell through thin ice on the lake about 300 feet from shore. The uncle and nephew, both tradespeople from Saskatoon, ran out onto the ice to help along with the girl’s mother, despite hearing it cracking beneath their feet, and plunged into the frigid water.

“Both men attempted to push an unconscious Ava onto the ice but were unsuccessful. The mother then fell through the ice,” the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission wrote.

“Christopher grasped Evelyn and tried to lift her out of the water onto the ice but was unsuccessful. Joseph also tried and failed to lift Ava out. Within two minutes, both men were exhausted from their efforts and the freezing water. Christopher let go of Evelyn and he submerged. Joseph handed Ava to her mother and he, too, submerged.”

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The girls’ father then pushed a kayak full of life jackets across the ice and into the water. The mother was able to get hold of the watercraft while holding Ava. Evelyn swam over to the boat and got a life jacket, which she wore until firefighters using ropes pulled her out of the lake, along with her mother.

“Firefighters retrieved Ava who was pronounced dead at the scene,” the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission noted.

“Evelyn and her mother suffered from hypothermia but recovered. A dive team found the bodies of Christopher and Joseph the next day. They had drowned.”

The Carnegie Medal, which bears the image and name of American philanthropist and industrialist Andrew Carnegie, is awarded to men and women who, through “extraordinary acts of heroism,” risked life and limb to save others.

Since its inception in 1904, the medal has been awarded to 10,440 individuals.

“Each of the recipients or their survivors will receive a financial grant,” the fund noted. “Throughout the 120 years since the Fund was established by industrialist-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, nearly $45 million has been given in one-time grants, scholarship aid, death benefits, and continuing assistance.”