An Alberta mother who was paralyzed after she deflected a falling tree away from her three young children received a national bravery award Tuesday for her actions.
In July 2016, when a 10-metre-tall falling tree threatened her children, 27-year-old Jessica Dicks did what she felt she had to do.
She jumped in front of the tree to deflect it away from her kids, then aged six, four, and 10 months. The tree hit her directly on top of the head, crushing her T5 vertebrae and sternum, and leaving her mostly paralyzed from the waist down.
The children were not injured.
Dicks was surprised when she found out she had been awarded the medal for bravery by the Governor General of Canada. “I was pretty shocked, actually,” Dicks told CBC’s Radio Active from Ottawa. “It was quite a shocking letter to receive.”
She’s been on the road to recovery ever since her severe injury. Everything has changed — including her three girls, who are all growing, active and healthy.
“They definitely give me a reason to keep going, despite all the obstacles,” Dicks said.
Jessica Dick’s girls, Alie, Dailynn and Charlie, camping at Lawrence Lake. None of the three were injured by the falling tree. (Supplied)
After spending months in the hospital, she learned how to navigate using her wheelchair. She’s still doing physiotherapy and, with some feeling in her legs, is now able to stand using braces.
Dicks is also trying to go back to school so she can find a job where she can work from home.
Her adaptation to her changed life is one of the reasons she was nominated by someone in her life. Dicks doesn’t know who nominated her, but thinks it was a family member.
In the end, she was surprised about the award because she didn’t think twice about what she did.
“I just did exactly what I had to do in that moment,” Dicks said.