Widow gives bravery award

pic to come

By Alison Noonan
A HAMPTON Park widow says she will be forever grateful to the brave young Doveton man who tried to save her husband’s life.
Lynda Cartmill finally found a way to thank 21yearold Hany Labib for his courage and compassion during the final moments of her husband’s life by presenting him with a bravery award at last week’s Casey Council River Gum Ward dinner.
Mr Labib forced his way into Colin Cartmill’s car and sat with him until emergency crews arrived after the 42yearold’s car and another collided at the corner of Hallam South Road and Keppel Drive in Hallam in February.
Following directions from 000, he checked Mr Cartmill’s pulse and supported his head and neck from the back seat of the car.
Despite his lifesaving efforts, the father of two died in Mr Labib arms.
Mrs Cartmill said she had spent the past six months planning a special way to acknowledge Mr Labib’s act of heroism and approached the council for help.
“Hany was the only person with my husband when he died and I wanted to find a way to thank him for that.
“I just wanted him to get the recognition he deserved because he really did deserve it,” she said.
Mrs Cartmill said the day of the ward dinner was the first time she and her two young daughters had met Mr Labib and that they were overwhelmed with gratitude.
“The only picture Hany had of my husband was the way he looked when he died and he has to live with that picture for the rest of his life.
“That’s a big thing for a 21yearold to deal with.
“So I wanted to show him a photo of Colin to show him the different person,” she said.
Mrs Cartmill said she was comforted by the knowledge that her husband was not alone when he passed away and praised Mr Labib for having the courage to do what many others would not.
“I would hope that most people would stop and do the same thing but not everyone would.
“I am really proud of him and what he did for my husband that day.
“He said to me that he wished it could have been me that was with him instead.
“People his age often get blamed for being the cause of accidents but he is just such a nice boy,” she said.
Mrs Cartmill said life without her husband had been a real shock for the family and was not looking forward to their first Father’s Day without their dad.
“Life has not been easy without him. Colin lived for his family. My eldest daughter has been remarkable but my youngest, who is three, still wants to phone her daddy and says that she misses him.
“It was really hard at the time because the day after his funeral was his birthday, the week after that was our anniversary and then it’s Father’s Day on Sunday.
“All the milestones have come at once.
“You don’t realise what it’s like until it happens to you,” she said.
Mr Labib said he was honoured and grateful to be recognised for ‘doing what any decent human being would have done’.
“I didn’t expect it but I think this provided some closure for Lynda.
“When I visited the family one of Lynda’s daughters was just staring at me and I could tell that she was thankful,” he said.
Mr Labib said that while he was still getting over the tragic events of that morning, he would not hesitate to do it again.
“I drive past the scene of the accident every day and every now and then I get flashbacks but I don’t regret anything I did,” he said.