Commendation for bravery for Celine Natoway-Marlowe

There's one event from his time serving in the community of Fort Reliance that has always stuck with retired Ottawa RCMP officer Garth Hampson an intense fire in a home on New Year's Day in 1960 and the remarkable story of bravery by a 9 year-old Dene girl.

A retired Ottawa RCMP officer spearheads a special honour that's been more than 50 years in the making

Waubgeshig Rice CBC News Posted: Jan 08, 2014 1:57 PM EST | Last Updated: January 8, 2014

RCMP officer to honour 50-year-old bravery

11 years ago

2:15

A woman saved four children from a fire in the Northwest Territories in the 1960s.

Canada's north has always held a special place in GarthHampson'sheart. The RCMP posted him to the Northwest Territories early in his career.

There's one event from his time in the tiny community of Fort Reliancethat hasalways stuck with him
an intense fire in a home on New Year's Day in 1960 and theremarkable story of bravery that followed.

"When the fire happened, it was sort of a lost cause immediately. We noticed the place was totally engulfed," recalled Hampson.

He assumed the worst, butquickly learned of some remarkable lifesaving heroics.

"When I was investigating it, I found that a 9-year-old girl had saved four children - four small children - from the fire. She had pulled them out from under the blankets."

They all survived.Hampsonalways wanted to commend theDenegirl,but he didn't know how to find her.

In 2011 Celine Natoway-Marlowe and Garth Hampson crossed paths again in the northern community of Lutselk'e. (CBC)

He returned to the Northwest Territories in the summer of 2011.And had a chance encounter on a visit to the community ofLutselk'e.

"I just happened to be showing the pictures of my time 50-some years before," Hampson explained. "My son asked if there had been a girl that had saved four children. And the person that he was talking to - just standing beside the 45-gallon drum - wasCelineNatoway-Marlowe."

Hampsonsaw it as his chance to finally honourCelineMarlowe.

When he got back to Ottawa heproposed that the RCMP honour her with the commissioner's commendation for bravery.The commissioner agreed.

"What are the chances? And that's really why Iperseveredwith having something done about her act. And here 54 years later, she's going to be recognized."

Hampson'sleaving for the Northwest Territories this week.He'll be there for a special ceremony for Marlowe's commendation on January14th.

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