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Summer is usually a time of relaxation.
But for three Canadian children, harrowing wildfires and near-death experiences in July and August forced them to take action.
They became heroes and saved the people they loved.
Here are their stories.


He saved his grandmother from drowning 
Simon Hart takes a Zoom call with his grandmother, Mary Oldford, who is still alive thanks to him.  (Image credit: Ryan Cooke/CBC)
Nine-year-old Simon Hart was enjoying a visit with his grandmother, Mary Oldford, at home in St.  John’s, Newfoundland, when disaster struck last July.
While Oldford was taking a bite of her grandson’s grilled cheese sandwich, a piece got stuck in her throat and she started choking.
Fortunately, Simon knew exactly what to do: two years ago, he attended a first aid course where he was trained in the Heimlich maneuver.
The Heimlich maneuver is a technique where you stand behind a choking person and wrap your arms around their abdomen.  By applying pressure to their airway and pushing with your hands, it can dislodge whatever is blocking their airway — and it can even save someone’s life.
In an interview with CBC News, Simon explained how he stayed cool under pressure.
“I pumped it six times and it never came out, so then I slapped her on the back really hard and then I did it six more times. And finally it went away,” he said.
“[It was] the scariest moment of my life, for sure.”
His grandmother was impressed with how calm Simon was during the ordeal.
“That was the biggest surprise to me, how someone could be so calm,” Oldford said.
The experience was a valuable lesson for the whole family.  His mother stressed the importance of learning first aid at any age, as you never know when it might come in handy.


He saved an apartment complex from a car fire 
Grace-Ellen Beaulieu stands in front of the car she noticed burning early one morning in her hometown of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.  By quickly calling the police, he helped stop the flames from spreading, including to a nearby apartment complex.  (Image credit: Rose Danen/CBC)
Grace-Ellen Beaulieu, 8, was just trying to get back to sleep one morning in early August when she looked out her window and noticed a car on fire in the parking lot, which pulled into a nearby apartment complex.
“I just felt scared, so I grabbed my mom’s phone and called 911,” Grace-Ellen said in an interview with CBC News.
“My mom taught me that if there was something wrong or if there was an emergency, I would call that number.”
Thanks to her quick thinking, local police in her hometown of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories were quickly on the scene to put out the burning car.
While the vehicle was destroyed, Grace-Ellen’s phone call prevented the flames from spreading to nearby cars, where it could have potentially caused a fatal gas explosion.
Police thanked Grace-Ellen for her heroism.  The fire captain even gave her a high-five.
Grace Ellen’s mother, Farren Beaulieu, praised her daughter for her actions.
“He saved the whole building by responding very quickly with that call,” Beaulieu said.  “It just blew everyone away.  We were all like, “Wow, Grace.  I believe you are a hero today.”


He saved his family from a house fire 
Eight-year-old Felix Dalley, center, poses with his mom Amy, left, and a Moncton Fire Department official.  Felix received a special coat of arms and a gold coin to recognize his bravery.  (Image credit: Shane Magee/CBC)
On May 23, Felix Dalley, 8, was playing on his front porch when he saw a plume of black smoke coming from his home.
Frightened, he ran to find his family, who were inside, and alerted his uncle about the fire.
Felix’s family — his father, uncle, brother and cousin — all managed to escape through the back door before the house was engulfed in flames about 10 minutes later.
In an interview with CBC News, Felix’s mother, Amy Dalley, who was at work during the incident, praised her son for trusting his instincts.
“Felix had told me afterwards that he remembered his father telling him that black smoke meant danger,” Daley said.
The Dalley family’s home is currently being rebuilt and they are living in temporary housing.
Their cat was also never found.
In July, Felix received a certificate of recognition from his hometown of Moncton, New Brunswick.
He also received a special badge from the city’s fire chief and a gold coin from the Moncton Fire Department.
While the badge and coin are usually only given to firefighters, they made a special exception for Felix.
“He is a true hero and his actions will never be forgotten,” said Moncton Fire Chief Conrad Landry.
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With files from Ryan Cooke, Rose Danen and Hannah Rudderham, CBC News
TOP IMAGE: Image Credit: Ryan Cooke, Rose Danen, Shane McGee/CBC, Graphic Design Tamisha Harris/CBC