"Heroes are not only born during war"

"Heroes are not only born during war," these are the words by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili describing 21-year-old Otar Gurgenishvili's actions performed earlier this month. 

The President of Georgia has posthumously honoured a young man who sacrificed his life to save a child and awarded him a medal for Civic Devotion.

President Giorgi Margvelashvili handed the award to the mother of Otar Gurgenishvili, who died on August 1.

The President said the award was granted for the young man’s "exemplary civic devotion, special civic responsibility and bravery”.

Gurgenishvili died after he was hit by a speeding car when he saved a younger child from almost certain death in Rustavi on August 1, 2014.

A child, described as "small”, attempted to cross a residential street when a speeding car appeared. Gurgenishvili saw the action unfold and pushed the child out of the way but he and his girlfriend were hit by the car instead.

Gurgenishvili died at the scene while his girlfriend suffered minor injuries.

His tragic death gained sympathy from people all across Georgia, with Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili describing the 21-year-old’s actions as "heroic”.

"The whole of Georgia has been shaken by the death of a young man who gave his life to save a younger child. Otar Gurgenishili is an example of civic heroism for the entire society,” Garibashvili said at the time.