One of the victims of the Nottingham attacks, Grace O'Malley-Kumar will be posthumously awarded the George Medal for her extraordinary bravery and selflessness.
On 13 June 2023, the 19-year-old medical student made the ultimate sacrifice, courageously trying to protect her friend Barnaby Webber as they were both fatally attacked by paranoid schizophrenic Valdo Calocane.
She is among 20 recipients of this year’s civilian gallantry awards, and one of four honoured posthumously for acts of exceptional heroism.
At a London news conference, Dr Sinead O'Malley described her daughter, Grace O'Malley-Kumar, as “an exceptional human being” whose bravery and creativity would be remembered in history. “We are immensely proud of her, despite her youth, she was incredibly brave,” she said.
Grace’s father, Dr Sanjoy Kumar, said she “placed friendship over fear,” bravely confronting a 30-year-old armed with a hunting knife instead of fleeing, to protect her friend. Surrounded by photos of his daughter, an England youth hockey player and Essex county cricketer — he called her “a true patriot” who “asked for nothing but gave everything” and urged others to follow her example by caring for their communities and country.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer praised Grace O’Malley-Kumar’s bravery as “a powerful example of heroism,” highlighting the courage of all civilian gallantry award recipients. The George Medal, Britain’s second-highest civilian bravery award after the George Cross, recognises “conspicuous gallantry not in the presence of the enemy” and is presented posthumously by a royal to a family member.
Grace and her friend Barnaby Webber, both University of Nottingham students, were fatally attacked on 13 June 2023 while walking home from a night out. Prosecutors described how Grace valiantly tried to protect Barnaby, pushing their assailant, Valdo Calocane, into the road, before being fatally stabbed herself. Calocane later killed a school caretaker and injured three others, and was sentenced to a hospital order for manslaughter and attempted murder.
