The train driver also saw the girl and frantically blew the horn, knowing the train would not be able to stop in time. Amidst the screeching of brakes, Grulke kept a cool head, risking his own life to push the distraught girl out of the way.
It was a rescue James Bond would be proud of but Grulke doesn’t consider himself a hero. He said:
“I just wanted to help her but I’m grateful for the award.”
The Royal Humane Society of Australasia bravery award, which is voted for by the public and is specifically dedicated to those who have risked their life in saving others, is a rare honour.
The awards were founded in 1886 when the Society was federated throughout Australia and Fiji, becoming Australia’s first federal institution. In 1994, a book documenting the many hero recipients of the award from 1874 to 1994 received critical acclaim. The book was called ‘7000 Brave Australians’.
Awards bestowed by the Society include the Certificate of Merit. Printing companies in Narre Warren can be called upon to produce such materials to the highest quality. Any member of the greater community can submit an application for Humane Society awards in recognition of the bravery of others.