Bruce J. Lake

Holli J. Robertson, 20, was swimming with friends on Aug. 19, 2023, in the Broad River in Fundy National Park near Alma, New Brunswick, when she lost her footing and was pulled into an area of turbulent water. She attempted to move to safety, but whirling currents trapped her in the 8 feet of water. She held onto a large boulder to keep the currents from sucking her underwater. In another party hiking in the area, off-duty police officer Bruce J. Lake, 48, from Truro, Nova Scotia, saw Robertson struggling. Lake and another man in his party positioned themselves downstream and told her to let go of the boulder. She did and immediately submerged. When she did not resurface immediately, Lake jumped into the water, feeling around for Robertson, and then, after finding her, grasping her arm. Lake kicked and used his free arm to swim to the surface and pushed Robertson, toward the bank from which Lake had jumped, where another woman grabbed her hand. Lake felt himself being pulled back into the strong current when Robertson grasped his hand and the two were pulled to the boulder together. Both were assisted from the water. Robertson had swallowed water and sustained lacerations to her body; Lake was nearly exhausted and sustained a laceration to his elbow. They recovered.