By Noam Mānuka Lazarus, Massey University journalism student
Junior Fa'amalosi Isaako was asleep at his home in Flaxmere, Hastings in June, when he was awoken by loud arguing. Photo: RNZ Insight / Anneke Smith
A man who saved the life of a critically wounded stabbing victim is among 10 people being honoured in the New Zealand Bravery Awards.
Junior Fa'amalosi Isaako intervened in a violent attack and protected an injured man until help could arrive.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Isaako's "extraordinary act of bravery saved the victim's life".
Victim stabbed multiple times
Isaako was asleep at his home in Flaxmere, Hastings in June, when he was awoken in the morning by loud arguing.
Stepping outside he saw a man pin another against a vehicle across the road, stabbing him once in the back and twice in the back of the leg.
A second man joined in beating the injured man, kicking and punching him as he curled into a foetal position on the ground.
Isaako rushed to intervene in the bloody beating
Isaako rushed at the men, causing one to flee before putting the armed man into a hold, throwing him to the ground and restraining him.
As the man struggled to break free, Isaako disarmed him, hitting his arm into the road until the knife was dropped and he could throw the weapon clear of the struggle.
Once the attacker was subdued Isaako dragged the victim onto a grass verge - wrapping a towel around his leg wound to act as a tourniquet.
He applied pressure to the victim's wounds and called emergency services.
When police arrived, he continued to assist the officers with first aid as an ambulance made its way to the scene.
The victim was stabilised and taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital.
Police said a 39-year-old male offender was charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He is scheduled to appear in Napier District Court on 27 January.
Isaako is one of 10 people being honoured at the 2025 New Zealand Bravery Awards on Saturday.
He and one other recipient - a 12-year-old boy whose actions saved his father from critical injuries - would be awarded the New Zealand Bravery Decoration, with eight others receiving the New Zealand Bravery Medal.
Luxon described each recipient of the awards as "the people we want close".
"None of us know how we will react when a life is in danger but in these 10 cases, a brave person has disregarded their own safety to help a fellow human.
"In every single case, their actions have prevented further harm - and in many, lives have been saved only because they stepped in," Luxon said.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
