Angela Shymanski was hours into her drive back home from a vacation with her two children when she fell asleep at the wheel, her car careening down a 12-metre embankment before smashing into a tree.

Angela was knocked unconscious.

But her five-year-old daughter Alexis Shymanski, who woke to the sound of her nine-month-old brother’s cries, unfastened herself from her car-seat, pushed the airbag out of the way, kicked the door of the badly damaged SUV open, and climbed the steep embankment barefoot to the highway, flagging down help.

“You hear this story that she saved our life, but today it hit me and I really realized that we wouldn’t be here, baby or I, without her,” said Angela, at police headquarters on Monday, still recovering from back and neck injuries suffered in the June crash near Jasper.

Alexis was one over 20 people recognized Mondaywith a Royal Canadian Humane Association Award at the downtown ceremony.

While her parents credit Alexis for saving lives, the little girl is just looking forward to showing off her Bronze Medal for Bravery at an upcoming kindergarten show and tell.

The medals are awarded to those who enact daring rescues, often putting themselves in harm’s way for the sake of others.

“They stopped, they got out of their cars, they jumped into airplanes, they pulled car doors open and broke fingers and did all manner of amazing things, frankly, so I think it is pretty significant that you have people react that way and help society as these people did,” said acting Edmonton police chief Tony Harder.

On July 13, 2013, Brandon Irwin — then only seven years old — was out with family and friends by the Pembina River near Drayton Valley when a four-year-old girl was swept away by the fast moving current.

Brandon heard her cry out before she was submerged and he immediately dove in to save her.

“When I found her feet, I pushed her up,” said Brandon, who stayed submerged while holding the little girl’s head above the water, battling the current to get her to shore.

“We could have lost two kids that day, it was by sheer miracle that he found her,” said his mother, Ivana Irwin, who fought back tears as she pinned the Bronze Medal for Bravery to her son’s shirt.

The Royal Canadian Humane Associationon Monday presented police and citizens with awards to recognize exceptional acts of bravery and lifesaving while under duress. Recipients include:

* For removing two people from an extremely dangerous situation the Bronze Medal for Bravery is awarded to Const. Duane Bateman, Brad Tilley and Const. Julianne Toner.

On the afternoon of November 5, 2014, a speeding vehicle struck another making a left hand turn across a busy intersection in Edmonton. Brad Tilley, an off duty Edmonton firefighter, stopped his vehicle to help. One of the vehicles, an SUV, was lying on its roof halfway up a berm. Brad rushed over to the unstable vehicle and noticed gasoline leaking from it. He asked a bystander to get a fire extinguisher from his car, then he crawled into the SUV to turn off the ignition. The father was lying across the front seat with his head outside the passenger window. Brad noted that the daughter was pinned in the back seat and could not be reached until the father was removed. Emergency crews, including Const. Julianne Toner and Const. Duane Bateman were now on the scene. There was smoke coming from the vehicle. Despite gasoline dripping on her, Toner assisted firefighters by holding the father's head while he was removed. Bateman came to the aid of the girl whose legs were pinned. He noticed she was having trouble breathing due to her back and neck being severely arched. While Tilley raised the girl's arms, Bateman placed a rolled up blanket under the girl to make her more comfortable. There was gasoline pouring onto her and dripping on both men. Once the father had been removed from the vehicle they were able to free the daughter.

* For putting themselves at significant risk to save another, the Bronze Medal for Bravery is awarded to Dustin Bill, Guilliaume Charland, Jarrett Desrosiers, and Joseph Isaac.

On June 22, 2014, around 2:00 a.m., a patron in an Edmonton bar was being assaulted and viciously stabbed with a large knife. Dustin Bill, Guilliaume Charland, Jarrett Desrosiers and Joseph Isaac, employees who were working in the bar, witnessed the brutal assault. All four men jumped on the accused, disarmed him, pinned him down and held him until police arrived. The victim received severe life-threatening injuries but survived.

* For risking their lives, going above and beyond the call of duty to save the lives of others, the Bronze Medal for Bravery is awarded to Const. Timothy Moeller, Const. Brandon Myre, Const. Nathan Sharuga, Const. Ethan Watts, Const. Norm Wong

On October 24, 2014, just after midnight, Constables Wong and Moeller came upon a burning townhouse complex that was under construction in west Edmonton. The fire began to spread to three nearby residences that were occupied. Moeller and Wong began banging on the doors and where joined by Constables Sharuga, Watts and Myre. They were able to get the residents out of two suites but there was no answer at the third. The fire was intensifying as Wong continued banging on the door. A female finally answer. She grabbed her small child, followed Wong to safety and informed him that her elderly paralyzed father was still inside. Constables Moeller, Myre, Watts and Wong entered the suite to carry out the victim. As they carried him, sparks and debris fell on and around them. Once they confirmed that the three suites were empty the five constables moved on to evacuate other neighbouring buildings.