Robert Cook ... doing the thing he loved.
"Three Stars of Courage - the nation's second-highest honour behind the rare Cross of Valour - were among 70 decorations approved by the Governor-General this year to recognise actions of bravery in peacetime. ...
The third, also remembered posthumously, is 23-year-old American Robert Cook, from Missouri.
On July 29, 2006 Melbourne woman Kimberley Dear was to have made her first skydive in America. But when engine failure caused the plane to plummet to the ground seconds after take-off, Mr Cook, her instructor, clipped his skydive harness to hers and demanded she use his body as a mattress. He was killed on impact."
There are quite a few articles in the Australian press about the recent award handed out to our own Robert Cook. You can read more of them with the following links.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/at-23-he-gave-his-life-to-save-another/2008/03/16/1205602195110.html
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/17/2191025.htm
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23387591-29277,00.html
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/star-of-courage-awards-for-three-acts-of-great-bravery/2008/03/16/1205602195527.html