Woman who saved teens from water being honoured by Mounties

A woman's heroic acts are earning her a commendation from RCMP Manitoba.

Renata Bandel is a recent recipient of a Certificate of Recognition for her quick actions during the summer.

On June 3, Bandel was with her sister, niece and nephew were spending time together at Delta Beach in Portage la Prairie. While heading out for a swim, she heard a commotion.

"A couple was coming back towards the shore and the woman said to me that she heard someone yelling for help and pointed out something red bobbing around in the deep water," Bandel told CHVN during an interview in June.

Bandel discovered the something red was actually a group of teenagers. The 52-year-old then sent her niece to shore and swam to the first of the three teens. 

"When I get to the (first) girl she was so relieved she burst out crying and sobbing and I told her to lay on her back and I would swim her back to shore and that she would be okay," she says.

Bandel says at that point the first girl was visibly concerned for her two friends. Getting her to shore, Bandel's sister, who is a nurse, began caring for the teen and Bandel returned to the water.

Swimming to the second girl, Bengal calmed the teen as they swam. Trailing behind her, was a boat. Realizing it was an RCMP boat, the pair boarded it with Bengal helped them find the third girl who was on the raft.

"She was quite a bit farther north and then the police boat took us to shore where the ambulance was there to meet us and that was pretty much it."

She received her award last week.

"For her selfless act and heroic rescue efforts, Renata was presented, last week, with a framed Certificate of Recognition by Portage la Prairie RCMP Officer in Charge, Inspector St. Pierre."

The comment section of the RCMP's post is flooded with praise for Bandel, calling her a hero.