Two days ago in Munich, the Prime Minister of the Bavarian region, Markus Soder, awarded the Bavarian Medal of Bravery to Senad Huric from Gorazde, a prize given to those who risk their own lives to save others.
Senad saved the life of a young man who was drowning in a lake two years ago, and he says he would do it again if given the chance.
“Today was the medal award ceremony and I was very honored. Such recognition comes rarely and carries great symbolism. This is one of the dearest moments in my life,” said the young man two days ago.
Everything happened in May two years ago while he was resting with his family on the shore of Lake Pucher Meer.
Recognition for bravery
“I was playing with my children on the shore when I saw a young man, aged between 20 and 25, trying to reach the shore. He was already losing strength and then completely sank. I jumped into the water without thinking and swam about 30 or 40 meters to him. I managed to bring him to the surface and saw he was losing consciousness. At that moment, a girl named Lea, only 12 years old, incredibly brave, swam up to me. Together we pulled him to the shore. Luckily, he was showing signs of life even though he was exhausted, he didn’t respond when we tried to communicate with him. I called for help, for an ambulance to be called because he needed medical assistance. After just a few minutes, they arrived and took him to the hospital. The lake rescue service took our details and we briefly described the incident. That was all,” said Senad.
The next day he inquired about the health condition of the young man he saved from the lake, but he had been transferred to another hospital. He later found out that the young man spent almost a month in intensive care. However, last month a letter from the Government of Bavaria arrived at Senad’s address.
“It said that because of my bravery and for risking my own life to save another life, I was being awarded the Medal of Bravery. I was positively surprised and a bit confused because it had been two years since the incident. Lea and I, who were so determined and full of confidence, were also contacted by journalists from the Bavarian Government’s press office who wanted to make a story about it, and I agreed. During the filming, I found out that the rescued young man spent three weeks in intensive care, which really saddened me, but thank God he survived,” says Senad.
He explained that in the Bayern region of Germany, the awarding of medals and honors for bravery and exceptional civic engagement is held regularly, but not according to a fixed annual schedule. Ceremonies are organized several times a year, depending on the number of nominations and the decisions of the competent authorities.
“Today a total of 75 medals of bravery were awarded. That includes various rescues from drowning, rescuing people from fires, rescuing people from cars in serious traffic accidents, providing first aid until medical staff arrive, and similar things. In Germany, a person who saves someone is usually highly respected and recognized. Such acts are considered exceptional bravery and civic responsibility. As for my rescue, there was no time to think. Seconds determined life or death. I’m naturally warm-hearted and emotional, so for me, it wasn’t a question of whether I would help or not. Even though I only later realized what could have happened to me. Because when you rescue a drowning person, they can panic and endanger not only their own life but also yours. Thank dear God that didn’t happen,” said the young man two days ago.
While he lived in Gorazde, he worked in the local police. He says he still misses the uniform.
He misses the uniform
“Every time I come on vacation and see my former colleagues, I have to admit I miss the uniform. It’s every child’s dream. When you ask a child what they want to be when they grow up, most of them say a police officer, soldier, or firefighter. I was one of those boys whose wish came true and I became a police officer. I truly enjoyed that profession. In my opinion, if anyone in our society can help in times of trouble, it’s a police officer. That was a great satisfaction for me in my work as a police officer – helping people in trouble,” says Senad.
Even so, a few years ago he decided to leave Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).
“Unfortunately, I decided to resign and leave my country. I’ll honestly say it wasn’t hard for me to leave the country considering the political situation in our country. Politics is to blame for everything in my opinion. I don’t want my children to grow up in a system where human values are pushed aside. I want my children to grow up in a system where they have security and more opportunities for development and progress. The only thing I regret is being separated from my parents and my relatives. Of course, I miss my friends too, but I don’t regret the decision to leave my homeland – on the contrary. I came to a well-organized and safe country,” he concluded, Klix.ba writes.
