British Royal Family "Showing Perseverance and Exceptional Courage"
Sisters Preparing for Fundraising Marathon to Overcome PTSD
A British woman who confronted a crocodile with her bare hands at a resort and saved her twin sister was awarded a royal bravery medal.
On the 14th (local time), BBC reported that Georgia Rory (31), a resident of Sandhurst, Berkshire, was selected as the recipient of the King's Gallantry Medal, awarded to civilians who perform acts of bravery.
In June 2021, Georgia was swimming in Manialtepec Lake, located in the famous resort area of Puerto Escondido, Mexico, when she suddenly escaped to shore to avoid an appearing crocodile. However, her twin sister Melissa, who was 15 meters away alone, was attacked by the crocodile, which grabbed her and dragged her underwater.
Without hesitation, Georgia jumped back into the lake, repeatedly punching the crocodile's snout with her fists while supporting Melissa's head above water with her other hand. When the crocodile seemed to retreat, Georgia tried to move Melissa to a safe place. However, the crocodile returned and bit Melissa's ankle, refusing to let go.
After a fierce struggle in which Georgia's hand was bitten, she defeated the crocodile and placed Melissa on a small boat to evacuate her. Melissa suffered severe injuries to her abdomen and limbs, fell into a coma due to sepsis, but later recovered after treatment.
The royal family stated, "Georgia risked her life to save her twin sister, repeatedly confronting the crocodile's attacks, demonstrating perseverance and exceptional courage." Upon hearing the news of the award, Georgia said, "I was incredibly surprised when I received the letter. The truly amazing thing was Melissa's courage. While I was fighting the crocodile, she kept giving me strength. Without Melissa, I wouldn't have been able to do it," giving credit to her sister.
The sisters are preparing for the Thames Marathon, a 13 km swim in the Thames River this August, as a fundraising event for PTSD UK, a charity that helps overcome post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Meanwhile, five people, including Georgia, were selected for this year's King's Gallantry Medal. Among them, Rory Elson Dussey, a British diplomat, was recognized for his bravery in safely evacuating embassy staff and their families during the outbreak of the Sudan civil war last year while working at the British Embassy in Sudan.
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