Mia's Medal of Bravery

Mia in the middle, Adam to the left. Livia on Right

Congratulations to Krista Maria Wall(Mia) for being awarded the Medal of Bravery. This is from the Governor Generals' web site:

Krista Maria Wall, M.B., Fergus, Ontario
Medal of Bravery

On January 5, 2005, while vacationing in the Dominican Republic, Krista Wall attempted to rescue an 11-year-old boy from drowning during an excursion on the Damajagua River. Realizing that the boy had been missing for several minutes and was most likely trapped in a strong whirlpool under a waterfall, Ms. Wall, although not a strong swimmer, tied a rope around her waist and plunged into the turbulent waters. She groped around in the rushing water until she felt the child’s hand. She tried unsuccessfully to reach out to him, all the while fighting the undertow pulling her down. As she resurfaced to catch her breath, the young victim’s lifeless body emerged to the surface. Bystanders pulled them both out of the water but, sadly, efforts to revive the young boy were in vain.

A hero's reward

DARREN CALABRESE, GUELPH MERCURY

Krista-Maria Wall of Fergus recently received a bravery award from the Governor General for trying to save a drowning Niagara Falls boy while on vacation in the Dominican Republic in 2005.

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DARREN CALABRESE, GUELPH MERCURY Krista-Maria Wall of Fergus recently received a bravery award from the Governor General for trying to save a drowning Niagara Falls boy while on vacation in the Dominican Republic in 2005.

DARREN CALABRESE, GUELPH MERCURY Krista-Maria Wall of Fergus recently received a bravery award from the Governor General for trying to save a drowning Niagara Falls boy while on vacation in the Dominican Republic in 2005.

Woman honoured for trying to save drowning boy

September 22, 2007
ROB O'FLANAGAN
MERCURY STAFF

GUELPH

A family vacation two years ago changed Krista-Maria Wall's life forever. She still has nightmares about it.

The 22-year-old Fergus woman's attempts to rescue a drowning boy while on a holiday in the Dominican Republic has earned her a Medal of Bravery from the Governor General. She doesn't feel she deserves it -- the 11-year-old boy she tried to help died.

"It feels a little awkward, because it's hard to receive a medal of bravery when you didn't save the person you were trying to save," Wall said from her home. "But I know it's what the boy's family wished for, and we've become very close so I know this is very important to them."

In January 2005, Wall -- along with her parents and younger brother -- were on a guided day trip in the Dominican jungle, heading to the Damajagua waterfalls about 20 minutes outside of Puerto Plata. The group was crossing the turbulent Majagua River near the falls, holding onto a guide rope.

Adam Vitaterna, an 11-year-old from Niagara Falls, was making the same crossing with his family. He was having fun -- laughing as he went along.

Then, the current sucked the boy under the water and several minutes passed before action was taken.

Wall, it seems, was the only member of the party brave enough to jump in after the boy. She reached him but didn't have the strength to pull him up. By the time Adam was brought to the surface, he could not be revived.

The Vitaterna family started a memorial fund in honour of their son, and a website (www.adamvitaterna.com) is dedicated to him. The boy's father, Andrew, describes Wall's actions on the website.

"She is an angel," he writes. "A total stranger risking her own life to save someone she didn't even know. She asked the guides to cut the rope, they reluctantly cut the rope. Because the rope was so thick and rough she asked one of the guides to take off his shirt so she could wrap it around her waist so the rope would not cut her skin."

Wall tied the rope around her waste.

"She took the plunge," Vitaterna writes. "She said she touched Adam, but then felt the undertow pull her under and thought she was not going to make it either, until finally the lead guide pulled them both out, with Adam's limp body on his shoulder. What a brave and wonderful woman."

Wall said the experience continues to haunt her.

"The experience hasn't really settled in me," said the woman, who is studying at Sheridan College to become a court and tribunal agent and working at a hair salon in Guelph.

"It's the kind of event that is really hard to clarify in your mind. It's something that I've never really been able to deal with because it was such a shock, and I still have nightmares about it all the time, and still wish that the outcome had been different. It will be forever imprinted in my mind."

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Dominican Republic authorities have made efforts to improved safety at Damajagua waterfalls.

An annual fundraising event is held Oct. 5 to raise money for Vitaterna's memorial fund, which offers scholarships to underprivileged children in the Niagara Falls area so they can participate in sports. Adam was a gifted athlete and lover of sports.

Donations to the Adam Vitaterna Memorial Fund can be sent to: Adam Vitaterna Memorial Fund, 2544 Dorchester Rd., Niagara Falls, Ont., L2J 2Y8. Since its inception in March 2005, the fund has distributed $28,700 to children in the Niagara Falls community.

The Vitaterna family nominated Wall for the Medal of Bravery -- 23 of which were awarded this year by Governor General Michaëlle Jean to Canadians in recognition of acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances. Wall also received a Respect for Law award from the Optimist Club.

"I can still hear the screams in my head," said Wall. "My instinct was, if no one is doing anything, I need to do something."

roflanagan@guelphmercury.com

Krista Maria Wall, M.B., Fergus, Ontario
Medal of Bravery

On January 5, 2005, while vacationing in the Dominican Republic, Krista Wall attempted to rescue an 11-year-old boy from drowning during an excursion on the Damajagua River. Realizing that the boy had been missing for several minutes and was most likely trapped in a strong whirlpool under a waterfall, Ms. Wall, although not a strong swimmer, tied a rope around her waist and plunged into the turbulent waters. She groped around in the rushing water until she felt the child’s hand. She tried unsuccessfully to reach out to him, all the while fighting the undertow pulling her down. As she resurfaced to catch her breath, the young victim’s lifeless body emerged to the surface. Bystanders pulled them both out of the water but, sadly, efforts to revive the young boy were in vain.

People who commit acts of bravery often say " I don't consider myself a hero", or "I was doing what anyone would have done."

Well I disagree!

It takes a very special person to commit such an act of courage, especially when that person risks her own life to save a stranger's life...and that person is 20 year old Krista (Mia) Maria Wall.

Unless you are faced with a similar situation, you will never know how you will react. I know, because I was witness to such an event, when 5 strong healthy tour guides refused to jump in, I saw panic and fear in thier eyes. There were other strong men in the group who did not jump in , and who later admitted to me they were scared. Myself, weak from the first water fall did not jump because I feared for my life.

But Mia, heard the screams and marched through the crowd to spearhead the rescue attempts. Details are on the "The Tragedy" page.

And even more amazing, after almost drowning , she still had the composure and compassion to stay by Adam's side as they tried to resuscitate him, cradling Adam's head in her hands. After resuscitation attempts failed, and the tour guides carelessly, with lack of respect, rushed Adam's body on a stretcher for the 20 minute walk back to the Jungle, she quickly caught up to them and held Adam's head to prevent it from wobbling on the edge of the stretcher.

Furthermore, her family, total strangers took care of Nicolas and Livia while we were at the hospital that night. Strangers who have now become our family.

On May 3rd, Mia was awarded the Respect for Law award by the Optimist Club Zone 13 and nominated by RCMP Sgt Cam Croal. Mia, her father, mother and brother, as well as our family, attended a dinner at Camp Heidleberg just outside of Kitchener for presentation of her award. It was a wonderful evening.

Click on the Link below to read the Newspaper article that was in The Record (Region of Waterloo paper) the next day.

click here to download file