A Lunenburg County man has been recognized by the province for his bravery.
Former police officer Kevin Johnson was awarded the Heroism Award in a small ceremony at Province House yesterday.
Johnson was injured in 2009 during a wildfire where he saved the lives of eight people.
“I got trapped myself,” he says, “decided ‘this is it.’ The whole life [flashing] before your eyes is true. I ended up getting out and ended up going back in three times because we had reports that people were still trapped.”
Johnson still feels the effects of that day with ongoing physical recovery and a daily struggle with PTSD.
But he says if he could go back he would do it again.
“If one person had died that day I would have had to carry that on my shoulders. That would have been a lot bigger for me to carry for the rest of my life.”
Johnson says the PTSD makes it difficult for him to be in public.
However with the help of his service dog, Maggie, he was able to be present to receive the award.
