HE COULDN'T swim, but that didn't stop Ian "Scotty" Ryan sacrificing his life to save a young girl from drowning.
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Scotty leapt into the Murrumbidgee River at Horn Beach - a popular swimming spot near Yanco - on October 19, 2008, after he saw three people struggling to keep afloat.
The occasion was a Sunday afternoon birthday gathering for the girl - a celebration that turned to tragedy.
Stripping off his jeans, Scotty jumped into the water and managed to reach the seven-year-old, who was panicking in a strong current.
He swam her to a partially submerged tree on the opposite bank, where she was later rescued.
Despite being safe, Scotty turned his attention to helping the girl's grandmother, who also couldn't swim.
Although the other swimmers got to safety, the 55-year-old disappeared under the water.
His body was recovered almost 24 hours later.
Today, that selfless, heroic act has been acknowledged posthumously with a bravery medal from Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove.
Scotty was one of nine children and his brother, Rodney Ryan, nominated him for the medal.
Their 88-year-old mother, Lettie, shed a proud tear when she found out it had been successful.
"I did it for their (his three children's) sake, so they've got something to hold on to," Mr Ryan said.
"It's a great honour; what he did was a remarkable thing."
Describing him as a "basic, knock-around bloke" who worked for Teerman's Transport, liked his beer and enjoyed collecting scrap metal, Mr Ryan said Scotty wouldn't have thought twice about helping.
"He wasn't a very good swimmer, but he didn't hesitate," he said.
"If he survived that (the rescue), he wouldn't be thinking of himself as a hero.
"If he didn't do what he did and the little girl drowned, he would have died from the torment of not doing anything."
It wasn't the first time Scotty had risked his life to save another.
He had previously dragged Mr Ryan out of his car after it caught fire during stockcar racing at Leeton's Brobenah Raceway.
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