A heroic twin who saved her sibling from a crocodile attack by punching the reptile in its face has received a bravery honour in the King’s first Civilian Gallantry List.
Georgia Laurie, 31, courageously struck out when the animal dragged her sibling, Melissa, underwater while swimming in a lagoon in Mexico in June 2021.
She fought off the crocodile three times as it repeatedly came in to attack.
Both women were seriously hurt, and although they have since made a good recovery from their injuries they still suffer from the mental scars of their ordeal.
Today, however, Georgia was decorated with the King’s Gallantry Medal by King Charles at an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
Images show the 31-year-old laughing and talking with the King alongside her sister.
Previously, Ms Laurie, from Sandhurst, Berkshire, said it was a shock to receive the honour as she ‘didn’t see it coming’.
She said: ‘I feel really privileged, it’s a silver lining to have come out of the terrible ordeal… it kind of softens the whole traumatic experience.
Georgia Laurie, left, poses with the King’s Gallantry Medal alongside her sister Melissa, right
The twin received a bravery honour from King Charles at an Investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in London today
Deep bite marks and surgery scars were seen on Georgia’s legs following the attack
‘It’s been a good thing for not just me but for the whole family, I feel like I have to share it with my sister because let’s face it I don’t think I would have been nominated for it if she didn’t survive.
‘What’s made this story so incredible is Melissa’s unwavering bravery throughout it all because she was so strong during it and I don’t think I would be here without her, she really gave me the strength to keep fighting.’
The twins were swimming in a lagoon near Puerto Escondido when Melissa was dragged under the water.
Melissa – who also developed sepsis as a result of her injuries and was put into an induced coma – survived with an open fracture to her wrist, severe puncture wounds to the abdomen and many injuries to her leg and foot, while Georgia was bitten on her hand.
The sisters recalled the dramatic encounter in an interview with the Mail On Sunday back in 2021.
‘I saw the outline of its head above the water and its eyes. It was silent and perfectly still at this point,’ Melissa said.
‘I knew in that moment we were in trouble. I screamed, ‘S***! It’s a crocodile, we need to turn back immediately!’ My heart rate shot up. I was so scared.’
It was then that the crocodile struck. Again and again the reptile attacked, dragging the 28-year-old under the water in a terrifying ‘death roll’, inflicting gaping wounds over Melissa’s body.
Melissa (pictured in hospital) was left in an induced coma following the attack, but made a stunning recovery
Melissa reveals the injuries she suffered after being dragged under water by a crocodile in Mexico
Georgia’s medal today was awarded for saving her twin sister Melissa (centre) from a crocodile attack while on an excursion in Puerto Escondido
Georgia (right) with her recovering twin sister Melissa (left) pictured together in hospital after the attack
Georgia Laurie (right), 31, courageously struck out when the animal dragged her sibling, Melissa (left), underwater while swimming in a lagoon in Mexico in June 2021
Both women were seriously hurt, and although they have since made a good recovery from their injuries they still suffer from the mental scars of their ordeal
She was saved by Georgia who, through a feat of almost super-human strength and courage, repeatedly punched the crocodile on the nose until it released gravely wounded Melissa from its jaws, barely clinging to life.
Melissa said: ‘My mind was racing with all these thoughts. I thought, ‘I’m never going to see my family again, I’m never going to see my twin sister again.’
‘My initial thought was she’s going to have to deal with getting my body back to the UK. I thought I was about to die. Then I passed out.’
As the crocodile grabbed Melissa’s left foot in a renewed assault, Georgia began beating it on the nose with her fists: ‘I had to fight it off, I started bashing it and bashing it with both fists; just thumping it. It felt rock hard, like punching a wall.’
The animal swam away but came back seconds later for a third time, biting Melissa’s upper thigh and bottom. Again, Georgia flailed and punched it hard: ‘I was exhausted from the fight. But I just kept punching it.’
The crocodile swam away for the final time after being pummelled by Georgia for a ‘substantial’ length of time.
‘It felt like the attack went on for ever. I don’t know how long it went on. I was scared that it would come back and then we would both be dead.’
Despite her heroics, Georgia plunged into despair: ‘When I realised that Melissa wasn’t responding, I was actually thinking: “I want to die. I don’t want to live any more'”‘
Melissa – who also developed sepsis as a result of her injuries and was put into an induced coma – survived with an open fracture to her wrist, severe puncture wounds to the abdomen and many injuries to her leg and foot
Georgia (right) and Melissa (left) pictured smiling in a selfie together taken on a holiday
Eventually, a rescue boat arrived on the scene. Melissa was hauled on board, with Georgia clambering in and cradling her in her arms.
Blood was everywhere, with Melissa vomiting up a mixture of blood and filthy water.
She said: ‘I remember screaming ‘Hug me, hug me’ because I knew I was dying at that point and I just wanted to be in [Georgia’s] arms.
‘I remember telling Georgia: ‘I’m dying, I’m dying.’ I was really scared. It felt so surreal. A nightmare.’
This year’s Civilian Gallantry List, which includes nine people, is the first to be approved by the King.
Also set to receive the medal is Pc Zach Printer, who was unarmed when he confronted gunman Jake Davison in August 2021 in Keyham, Plymouth. Davison had already shot and killed five innocent victims.
Among the other recipients is Pc Steven Denniss, who was stabbed in the leg while apprehending a double murder suspect while off duty in Louth, Lincolnshire, in June 2021.