WASHINGTON: Two Saudi students who died trying to save two young children from drowning have been awarded posthumous honorary degrees from the universities they were attending.

Cousins Theeb Al-Yami, 27, and Jasser Al-Rakah, 25, were studying in the United States when they joined several other people in an effort to rescue the youngsters, who were in distress in the Chicopee river in Wilbraham, Massachusetts, on June 29, 2018. The children managed to reach safety but the two students were swept away and drowned. They died just a month before they were due to graduate.

Al-Yami was awarded a bachelor’s degree in engineering by the University of Hartford in Connecticut, and Al-Rakah a degree in civil engineering from Western New England University in Massachusetts.

They were honored for their heroism and bravery during a ceremony at the latter university on September 14, which was attended by members of their families, the Deputy Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States Sami Al-Sadhan, the cultural attache at the Saudi Embassy Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa, the Consul General in New York Khalid Al-Sharif, professors from the universities and representatives of the local Islamic community.

Dr. Anthony Caprio, the president of Western New England University, expressed the appreciation of the university and the academic community for the heroism of the Saudi students.