Georgia Laurie of Berkshire, England has been named as one of this year's civilian recipients of The King's Gallantry Medal and The King's Commendation for Bravery. She is being commended for punching a crocodile in the face.
No, really: Ms Laurie was visiting Puerto Escondido in Mexico with her sister in the summer of 2021 when a rowdy reptile reached out from a lagoon and tried to assault her sibling. As the BBC reported at the time:
While they were swimming, Melissa disappeared under the water and Georgia had been trying to find her.
Crocodiles try to drown their victims.
"Georgia found her unresponsive and started to drag her back to the safety of a boat," says 33-year-old Hana from her home in Alton, Hampshire.
"She dragged her back as the crocodile kept coming back for more – so she just started hitting it.
"She'd heard that with with some animals, that's what you've got to do."
"Luckily, her super-badass twin sister was there to punch it repeatedly – as it came back about three times – to try and save her."
The sisters were both injured and hospitalized; Melissa in particular was put into a medically-induced coma and suffered with sepsis, but both have since recovered. But indeed, things would have been much worse if Georgia had not punched that croc in the face.
It's the first time the British Royal Family has formally recognized someone for punching a crocodile in the face—a rare honor, indeed, but one that's certainly well-deserved.
Woman who punched crocodile among those on king's first civilian gallantry list [Caroline Davies / The Guardian]
