Loretta Salt was involved in a terrible accident near Pickerel River, south of Sudbury, 54 years ago.
While travelling home in propeller-driven ice-vehicle, the propeller dislodged, striking her husband Ted and killing him.
She was left alone, seven months pregnant, with three young kids in the middle of nowhere.
"It took me three and a half, four hours to walk home from the accident and we would have been home in less than ten minutes (driving)," said Salt.
Salt said her survival instincts kicked in on that tragic night. She had to leave her six-year old niece and two daughters, aged four and two, alone in the wilderness.
She said travelling back to the children hours later, she was filled with worry.
"It was a relief because I told them when I left them 'you stay here, don't you move'. I put them under, it was like a rock hangover, and I put them in under there."
"What did I think of that? It's the bravest thing I've ever heard," said Barbara Perreault, Loretta's sister in-law
"If it wasn't for Loretta some of these children wouldn't be here."
Because of her courage 54 years ago, Salt’s children are still alive, and now have children of their own.
Ontario Provincial Police officials said awards were not given back then, but they are happy to recognize Salt all these years later.
