Police hero receives award

On Friday, August 24, 2007, Giovanni Di Legge of LaSalle station 13 was on vacation with his small family in Wells Beach, Maine. Upon hearing the cries of two people, he plunged into the waters without a moment’s hesitation endangering his own life. He was going to save a 12-year old girl and a 31-year old woman from the strong engulfing waves. This heroic act was acknowledged and honoured during the <@Ri:>10th Gala des Prix policiers du Québec<@$p:> held at the Marriott Hotel, Château Champlain.

A police officer for some 15 years and socio-community worker in station 13 for three years, 41-year old Giovanni Di Legge will not forget this act of heroism which was both unexpected and impulsive.

Giovanni and his family were lazing around in Wells Beach. “We heard a scream. I was about 40 metres away from the people in distress. A woman was about to drown. I plunged into the water when I heard the cries of two other women, one of whom was a 12-year old. I went towards the younger girl and seized her. I turned and then saw the lifeguards coming. I pushed the young girl as far as I could towards the beach so they could scoop her up.”

As for the 31-year old woman who was about to give up and drown, it was a lot riskier. “When I got a hold of her, she was no longer reacting. I changed her position so she could be on her back with her head tilted upwards. I started to swim with only one arm. I thought of my two-year old daughter and could not bear the thought of leaving her without a father. A force seemed to come from nowhere like a massive adrenalin rush. I finally felt the sand underneath my feet and got out of the water. The woman was unconscious but was still breathing.

“I met the woman and she took me in her arms saying that I saved her life. It was the most beautiful gift I ever received. Her boyfriend hugged me like I was a member of his family. She sent me a photograph of herself and her son, as well as a letter that moved me to tears; she spoke of me and called me her guardian angel. Her family sent me a card saying that the person I saved is more than a precious stone in their life. It turned out that she’s a nurse who also saves lives.”

How does he feel now that it’s been a year? “When you save the life of a person, it brings about feelings of great pride. I always say that police officers save lives almost every day in an indirect way; for example, by stopping a drunk driver before an accident occurs. But to save a life directly – that has never happened to me in my 17 years as a police officer.”

Giovanni Di Legge is a native of LaSalle and lived there for more than 30 years. Our hero now lives in the west island of Montreal and he has two sisters who still live in LaSalle. He was first a bike patrol officer in the west island, and then worked for the west island intervention centre for five years before returning to his native LaSalle as a socio-community agent.