'My personal hell' Laois Garda conquered phobias for daring river rescue
A Laois Garda who has been awarded a bravery medal after a daring river rescue of a woman and her dog, has revealed how he had to conquer his personal phobias in the life saving attempt.
Garda Brendan Crawford, a Dublin native now settled in Ballyroan, jumped into a swollen river with his colleague Garda Garda Ciaran Murray, to save the lives of a woman and her labrador.
They were presented with bronze medals at the Oireachtas National Bravery awards ceremony in Farmleigh House Dublin this week.
Afterwards he told the Leinster Express / Laois Live about that memorable morning, on June 17 2020.
Garda Crawford commutes daily to Clondalkin Garda Station, and he recalls the heavy rain early that day.
"It was a deluge, I had a feeling there might be problems, it was crazy rain, maybe that there would be crashes. I was on patrol and got the call on the radio that a woman had gone into the water, I knew exactly were it was so I got there just ahead of Ciaran.
"A witness told us he had seen the woman by the water and then she wasn't. We could just see the silhouette of her head," he said.
The walker, called Ann, had been swept along the River Camac, partially into a culvert under the M50 motorway, but continued to hold on tight to her dog, a black lab called Millie.
"We made the decision to go in, Garda Ciara Galvin from Offaly was there too, she tied a rope around us and we got in, but halfway towards Ann, the rope ran out so we untied it.
"When we got to Ann, the dog was wearing her down, she was tiring. She had been in the water about 10 minutes, she said she felt she only had seconds left and was praying. She was sort of on her knees holding onto her dog Millie. She was up to her neck in the water," Garda Crawford said.
He carried the dog out, and Garda Murray helped the woman, and both were taken safely out of the river.
"She nearly had hypothermia. She had been in the water about 15 minutes," he said.
The rescue attempt was all the braver because he had to face two of his biggest fears, swimming and dogs.
"I'm not a good swimmer, I would just be able to swim across a river. I had a bad run in with dogs when I was younger. So being in the water with a dog was my personal hell, all the phobias I have in one incident. Once I got hold of the dog she stayed still, I think she kind of knew what was going on," he said.
"All's well that ends well. I met her a week later, and I've met her a few times since still walking Millie, but she doesn't go near the river now," Garda Crawford said.
His partner Amy and daughter Tori, 5, as well as his mother all attended the awards ceremony at Farmleigh House.
"It was a fantastic day, really enjoyable. It was great to have them there and see the pride in their eyes. Hearing the other stories on the day was lovely. Two children got medals for the courage they showed. I'm a guard, it's kind of expected, but other civilians got awards too, fair play to them," he said.
He moved from Tallaght to Ballyroan in 2008.
"I'm well settled here, I play tennis and golf in Abbeyleix, I'd nearly consider myself a Laois man, if they'll have me," Garda Crawford said.