Woman Honored by King for Saving Twin from Crocodile Attack

A woman who rescued her twin sister from a crocodile attack in Mexico has been presented with a bravery medal by the King at Buckingham Palace. Georgia Laurie, 31, from Sandhurst, Berkshire, attended a special investiture ceremony at the royal residence on Wednesday, accompanied by her sister Melissa. She was among those recognized in the King’s inaugural Civilian Gallantry List. Georgia also disclosed on Instagram that she had given her twin her own “badge of honour” – a crocodile brooch, which she pinned to Melissa’s velvet jacket for the event. In June 2021, the sisters were swimming in a lagoon near Puerto Escondido in Mexico when Melissa was dragged underwater by the crocodile. Georgia struck the reptile in the face during the attack, resulting in serious injuries for both women, but they survived after receiving medical treatment. She was awarded the King’s Gallantry Medal, an honour that acknowledges exemplary acts of bravery, and was pictured wearing her award while conversing with the monarch, alongside Melissa, in the Palace’s Picture Gallery. In May, when the honour was announced, Georgia stated: “I feel really privileged, it’s a silver lining to have come out of the terrible ordeal… it kind of softens the whole traumatic experience.” She further added that she would share the award with her sister: “What’s made this story so incredible is Melissa’s unwavering bravery throughout it all because she was so strong during it and I don’t think I would be here without her.” She concluded: “She really gave me the strength to keep fighting.” Buckingham Palace indicated that the King conducted the ceremony to “honour exceptional individuals”. For updates, BBC Oxfordshire can be followed on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.