Chelyabinsk region Governor Mikhail Yurevich gave out awards on Friday to those who courageously helped to mitigate the consequences of the Feb. 15 meteorite explosion.
"This extraordinary event has shown that even during peacetime one can show valor. Many of you defended our children, took them to safe places and quickly helped the injured," the governor said in a speech before doctors, teachers, carpenters, coaches, and entrepreneurs who jumped in and helped others in the wake of the meteor strike.
Each of them was presented with a framed certificate and flowers. The two youngest rescuers — two young schoolboys Kirill Daineko and Sergei Skripnik — were given honorable mention with special gifts.
Rather than rushing to evacuate their school during the meteor strike, the boys broke a window to help their gym teacher get out of the room she was blocked in. They also rescued the school's cook and a younger student.
The boys said they "were not afraid and do not consider themselves heroes. Anybody would do the same, we were just a little faster."
