A West Coast woman who battled through choking smoke to save the life of her neighbour was today honoured with a bravery award from the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand.
Kim Rees found Peter Lawrence, who was semi-conscious and lying in a pool of blood in his burning home, on May 5 last year.
Mr Lawrence had been brutally beaten by local teenager Bobby Christopher Barnett-Waldron, who then tried to cover his tracks by setting fire to Mr Lawrence's house in Dobson, 10km east of Greymouth.
Barnett-Waldron was sentenced on Friday to eight years' jail after he admitted causing grievous bodily harm to the 74-year-old, and a separate count of arson.
Today, a tearful Mrs Rees accepted the bravery award from Grey District Mayor Tony Kokshoorn in front of family, friends and work colleagues.
However, had she not gone outside for a cigarette on the evening of May 5, the scenario might have played out differently.
"When I was outside my Mawhera Street home I could hear an alarm - I thought it was coming from the school, and told my husband I was going to check it out." The closer she got to the school, the quieter the alarm got.
"I was walking back past Peter's (the victim) house and saw a glow in the window and heard a crackling sound."
She ran around the back of the house and saw him lying on the floor about 2m inside the door, with a pool of blood around his head. There were flames in the kitchen and the house was rapidly filling with smoke.
She went outside to scream for help and then returned to help Mr Lawrence, moving him into the recovery position and stayed at his side until help arrived - despite gasping with smoke inhalation herself.
She was later treated at Grey Base Hospital, while Mr Lawrence was flown to Wellington Hospital in a critical condition.
Mrs Rees said today she did not feel like a hero and was "embarrassed" by the award.
"I would like to think that anyone in my position on that night would have done the same thing." She described her former neighbour, who was now in a dementia unit, as an unassuming man who kept to himself.
"But if he found one of my kids' balls on the road he would always bring it back." The mayor said Mr Lawrence was lucky Mrs Rees had come along that night.
"You did your bit, you stepped up to the plate and helped where help was needed. Your family, friends and the community are very proud of you - it was a great effort."
