Jordan Rice, 13, posthumously awarded for his selfless bravery
A 13-year-old boy who gave his life to save his little brother has been posthumously awarded for his bravery.
Jordan Rice drowned in the 2011 Toowoomba floods after telling rescuers to "take my brother first".
On Friday, his father accepted his award alongside 36 other Queensland heroes.
John Tyson fought back tears as he received the bravery medal that was earned by one of his son’s - for saving the life of the other.
“When his Excellency lost it, I nearly lost it too. I nearly ended up a blubbering mess on the floor, trust me,” Mr Tyson said.
Jordan was trapped on the roof of a car with his mother and younger brother in rising floodwaters when rescuers arrived to help them.
He told them to take his brother first, and tragically drowned soon after alongside his mum.
Mr Tyson has been fighting for years to have Jordan’s selfless actions recognised.
“It was the power of the people, like all across the world and the pressure, from five and a half years, of millions that resulted in this today for my child.”
Four police officers have waited 16 years for their moment.
Nigel Parodi ambushed three of the officers in a car in May 2000 shooting them multiple times.
Their colleague, Brett Price, arrived and dragged them to safety.
"He put his own safety aside to risk his life to get me, Chris and Sharnelle, so I'm incredibly grateful for this man,” Senior Sergeant Daryl Elliott Green said.
Other Queenslanders honoured for their selfless acts were a group of nurses who stopped eleven patients breaking out of a mental health unit and an Underwood man who pulled a woman from her burning home.
Two police officers accepted awards for saving a mother and son from a sinking car in Spring Field Lakes and a Wooloowin man who wrestled a gun from a man threatening to harm others was also awarded.
