Photo: 123RF
A 12-year-old boy who tried to stop a neighbour's prolonged attack on his father says he wouldn't wish the "horrible experience" on anyone.
The boy, who cannot be named due to privacy reasons, is the third youngest recipient ever to receive a New Zealand Bravery Award.
He was among 10 people being honoured with the New Zealand Bravery Awards on Saturday.
The New Zealand Bravery Awards recognise the actions of people who put their own safety at risk to save or attempt to save the life of others.
On 17 September 2024, the boy was at home with his father when their neighbour approached their house.
When his father opened the door, the neighbour punched him in the face and accused the dad of spying. He then pushed the father and the boy into the back door, breaking the glass panel.
The boy was pushed against the wall by the man who then attacked his dad, leaving him unconscious.
The unconscious man was moved to the couch, where the boy sat, as the attacker continued his assault.
The neighbour grabbed a knife from the kitchen and began to film an "interrogation" of the father over the alleged spying, stabbing him in the leg, punching or kicking him when he thought the father was not answering truthfully.
When the father was unable to answer the man's questions, the boy began replying instead, telling the man his father was unable to hear and making up answers he thought would placate the man.
The assault lasted almost two hours. Throughout this ordeal, the boy tried to distract the man and at one point, tried to pull him away from his father.
He also protected his sister, who was due to arrive at the house, by asking the man if he could call someone to pick her up, to which the man agreed.
Eventually, the man realised the father's condition was deteriorating and allowed the boy to call an ambulance, which led to the police arriving and arresting the man.
The father was taken to the hospital in a critical condition and survived with a long recovery.
The boy said he was surprised and happy to receive the New Zealand Bravery Decoration.
"I wish I was never put in the situation where I had to deal with an assault," he said.
"It was a horrible experience, and I would not want anyone to go through anything similar."
The father said he was proud of his child for receiving the award.
'Lives have been saved'
The New Zealand Bravery Decoration was also awarded to Junior 'Losi' Isaako.
Isaako stopped two people who were stabbing, kicking and punching another in Flaxmere on 20 June 2025.
He ran towards the offenders, causing one of them to flee, and kicked the other one in the back. Isaako then restrained the offender until the victim could move away.
Isaako released the offender and gave the victim first aid until the police and paramedics arrived and took the victim to the hospital.
Full-size insignia from left to right: NZC, NZBS, NZBD, NZBM. Photo: NZ Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
NZ Bravery Medal
The New Zealand Bravery Medal was awarded to eight people.
Susan Burke, Sergeant Harshad 'Harry' Ghodke and Jonny Young were awarded the medal for saving a young boy from drowning. In a selfless act of bravery, Young unfortunately drowned during his attempt to rescue the boy, and his body was recovered the following day.
Hayden Cornwell and Constable Alexander Kerr, from Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Mutunga, received the medal for saving a woman from drowning.
Sergeant Richard Bracey and Constable Friederike 'Fritzi' Faber received the medal for their bravery during an assault and fire.
Detective Sergeant Heath Jones received the medal for rescuing a fellow police officer, her children and an older couple from floodwaters during Cyclone Gabrielle.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon congratulated the 10 people honoured in the 2025 New Zealand Bravery Awards.
"None of us know how we will react when a life is in danger but in these ten cases, a brave person has disregarded their own safety to help a fellow human," he said.
"In every single case, their actions have prevented further harm - and in many, lives have been saved only because they stepped in."
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