NNSL (Apr 03/98) - Two former Yellowknife boys have made their mark on their new home of Saskatoon by winning civic hero medals.

Josh Drescher, 9, and his 11-year-old brother, Dwayne, saved the life of a younger boy when were swimming in the public Lathey Pool two blocks from their new home.

"He noticed a little kid on the bottom of the pool," Dwayne said of his brother's discovery, after diving in the deep end.

"We pulled him out of the water and he had blue lips and a purple face."

"I was yelling at the lifeguard for a long time. It was about a minute or two."

The lifeguard then performed CPR and called the fire department across the street to help resuscitate Daniel Troil, who was part of a group of Christian summer students swimming in the crowded pool. It looked like Daniel choked on his chewing gum.

Troil was in intensive care for a day and a half, then stayed in hospital under observation for another two and a half days.

He was physically fine, but psychologically traumatized, and received treatment from family counsellors.

Though this incident happened July 7, the town of Saskatoon has just got around to recognizing the boys.

Last Friday, Josh and Dwayne received plaques for their heroics.

The plaques read: Presented to Dwayne and Josh Drescher, in recognition of quick thinking and unselfish action in saving the life of Daniel Troil on July 7, 1997.

After living in Tuktoyaktuk for several years, the family lived in Yellowknife from 1990 through 1993.

Then they moved to Inuvik and then to Fort Smith.

"It was the first day we moved in our house and my mum and dad wanted to look for furniture," Dwayne says of the fateful day when he and his brother went swimming.

"They didn't want to bring us because there wouldn't be any room."

Dwayne says though he likes living in Saskatchewan now, he misses the North and friends up here.

At first, he calls being recognized as a hero, "boring," then, after a pause, he admits, "it was exciting."