Students who tackled gunman to receive bravery awards
Two students who overpowered a gunman during a McDonalds robbery are among dozens of courageous Victorians to be recognised with bravery awards.
He disarmed and disabled a gunman trying to rob a McDonalds store, but what scared Kasun Fernando more, was telling his parents back home in Sri Lanka that he had risked his life in doing so.
"At first mum was a bit scared, but she's really proud now," he told 7News reporter Brendan Roberts.
His fellow suburban crime fighter, Ishan Chathuranga, avoided telling his parents, fearful of the worry it would cause them.
In 2012, the pair was waiting at a McDonalds outlet in Mulgrave when a masked man, carrying a sawn-off shot gun stormed the fast food restaurant and tried to rob it.
"When I saw the gun was away from him and he was busy collecting the money, I thought I can take him on, so I jumped on him and put him down," Kasun said.
The pair then held the gunman until police arrived ten minutes later.
Nearly 300 Victorians were honoured in this year's national bravery awards, announced by the Governor General.
They will be presented with their awards at a ceremony next year.
The late airship pilot Michael Nerandzic received the highest accolade, the Star of Courage, for sacrificing his own life to save three passengers when his blimp burst into flames over Germany three years ago.
The paramedics who spent two weeks talking to miners, Brant Webb and Todd Russell, while they were trapped underground at Beaconsfield have also been honoured.
"We were there 24 hours a day. When they wanted to sleep, they slept, when they wanted to talk, we were there for them."
Fifteen members of the Marysville CFA have also been commended for their bravery on Black Saturday.
