Hero Cal paid ultimate price

Posthumous gold medal given to ex-teacher, 90, for road heroics

- BY CILLIAN SHERLOCK

THE family of a man who died while trying to save a woman from being struck by a car has been honoured at this year's National Bravery Awards.

The ceremony included the awarding of two certificates, 15 bronze medals and four silver medals, and the gold award being posthumously presented to the family of retired teacher Callaghan ‘Cal’ O'Keefe.

In October last year, Mr O'Keefe, 90, noticed a woman was in danger of being struck by a reversing car.

Just before a potential collision, he managed to push the woman out of its direct line. The car still struck the woman but -because of his own position - it also struck him full-on.

While the woman survived with serious injuries, Mr O'Keefe was fatally wounded and pronounced dead at the scene.

Mr O'Keefe was posthumously awarded a gold medal and a memorial certificate of bravery.