Brian McDonald
An English woman who fought off a crocodile against her twin sister will be honored with a medal celebrating her “exemplary bravery”, the UK government has announced.
Georgia Laurie will receive the King’s Medal of Bravery from King Charles III, an award that honors civilians who acted with courage.
Laurie and her twin sister Melissa Laurie were on a tour in Mexico in June 2021 when a guide told them they could safely swim in a river, according to a press release announcing Laurie’s award. While in the water, Melissa Laurie spotted the crocodile and warned others in the group to swim for safety. Melissa Laurie was “snatched” by the reptile.
Georgia heard her sister’s “cries for help,” the news release said, and jumped back into the water to find her sister. Another member of the group pointed out that Melissa was lying face down and unconscious in the water. Georgia managed to “revive” her sister, but the crocodile returned before the pair got out of the water.
Images by Aaron Chown/PA via Getty Images
The crocodile approached again, biting Melissa and starting to drag her by her ankle. Georgia fought off the crocodile, punching it in the nose while making sure her sister’s head remained above the water. The alligator was eventually “deterred,” the press release said, and Georgia was able to drag her sister to a “more secluded area” so she could begin treating the injuries she sustained.
While Georgia was tending to her sister, the crocodile returned again, performing something called a “death roll.” In it, crocodiles grab their prey and spin it around, trying to kill and dismember their victims. Georgia punched the crocodile again. This time, the reptile bit her hand, but Georgia continued to fight the crocodile and defend her sister.
Finally, the crocodile retreated for good and the two sisters were able to reach a nearby boat and be transported away from the area. Georgia Laurie told the BBC that she thought her sister had died, and Melissa said her sister worked to keep her calm as they fled the area.
“I could feel like we were losing our bond when I was on the boat,” Melissa Laurie told the BBC. “I was saying ‘Hold me Georgia, hold me, I’m dying’… I was biting her shoulder to stay connected to her. She sang ‘Stand By Me’ and ‘Don’t Worry About A Thing’ – she sang them over and over to keep me calm. She was so brave.
Melissa Laurie suffered a compound fracture to her wrist, severe injuries to her abdomen and “numerous injuries to her leg and foot,” according to the news release. She survived the attack “almost entirely due to her sister’s exceptional bravery,” the news release said.
Melissa Laurie also developed sepsis at the hospital where she was being treated and was placed in a medically induced coma, the BBC reported. She finally recovered.
Georgia Laurie told the BBC she felt “really privileged” to receive the King’s Medal for Bravery.
“It’s a silver lining to have come out of this terrible ordeal,” she told the BBC. “It’s an honor, I was so shocked when I received the letter (announcing his award) because I didn’t expect it, I didn’t expect it. What made this story so incredible is Melissa’s unwavering bravery through it all because she was so strong through it and I don’t think I would be here without her, she really gave me the strength to keep fighting.”
The two sisters plan to swim the Thames Marathon in England in August. They hope to raise around $5,000 for two causes, one dedicated to treating PTSD in the UK and another providing essential aid and medical training to communities in Mexico.
