Pride of Australia Awards — Rachel a true-blue hero

HEROES don’t get any more real than Rachel Maddox. Her bravery was recognised when she was awarded a Pride of Australia medal. Nominations for this year’s awards are now open.

Boat crash victim and mother of two Rachel Maddox with her kids Elando, and Catherine at a property outside of Darwin. Picture: Justin Kennedy

HEROES don’t get any more real than Rachel Maddox.

She was just 26 when she flung herself between her then 2-month-old daughter Catherine and 4-year-old son Elando and the path of a speeding boat in a horrific accident on Mother’s Day 2017.

Ms Maddox’s selfless act meant her two children escaped relatively unscathed.

She copped the brunt of the impact for them.

While her kids were fine, Ms Maddox spent months in an arduous recovery in Royal Darwin Hospital.

Her bravery was recognised when she was awarded a Pride of Australia medal.

The awards honour ordinary Australians for extraordinary acts of bravery, service and charity.

At the time, she said she said she didn’t remember much about her decision to hurl herself in the path of the high-powered fibreglass boat headed straight for her family’s tinny on that otherwise quiet day on the Finniss River. “I just did my job, I just did what I was meant to do,” she said.

Incredibly humble, Ms Maddox said she didn’t see herself as having done anything particularly courageous, and would have done it all again.

“I’m surprised, I’m quite proud of myself,” she said.

“But I don’t see myself as doing anything special.”

The Pride of Australia awards seek to unearth and honour ordinary Australians who make an extraordinary contribution to communities. News Corp, publisher of the NT News, is partnering with Australia Post and Seven News to stage the 2019 awards.

You can nominate anyone in your community who has inspired you through their dedication, initiative, courage or acts of charity. Nominations for the awards close on October 21. Nominate a hero at prideofaustralia.com.au