Five courageous Maritimers have received Nova Scotia’s highest honour for the ultimate act of kindness.

This is the seventh year the Medal of Bravery has been presented in Nova Scotia. The award goes to people who have risked their lives to save others.

This year's recipients are David Grandy of Tatamagouche,N.S., Shawn Hardy of Maugerville, N.B., Wade Smith of Londonderry, N.S. and Stephen Ross and Keiren Tompkins of Halifax.

Premier Stephen McNeil awarded them with the Medal of Bravery at a ceremony in Halifax Thursday, but the rescuers say the real reward was being thanked by the men whom they saved.

Hardy, Grandy and Smith are credited with pulling Dillon McMullin from a burning SUV on Highway 104 near Masstown in September 2013.

“I was with him so I jumped out of the vehicle and tried to get him out, then I was cut so I went to the road and flagged down Mr. Grandy and then Shawn pulled up in his car,” says Smith.

“I just reacted, jumped out of the car, went down over the bank, pulled Mr. McMullin out of the car and did CPR until the ambulance arrived,” says Hardy. "I would do it again any day."

"To see the man standing there is appreciation enough for me," says Grandy.

Ross and Tompkins were honoured for putting their own lives at risk when they rushed to help Julien Rouleau after he fell through a patch of ice and into a rushing current along the Baddeck Trail in January.

“I was lucky to be there for him. I didn’t really think much of it at the time,” says Tompkins. “It is just something that you do.”

Both Tompkins and Ross say seeing Rouleau smiling at the back of the room as they received their medals was the greatest reward of all.

“How could you not be happy seeing that face? That young man had his whole life ahead of him so we are so glad he’s here today,” says Ross.

Rouleau says the men not only saved his life, but they have also become great friends.

“The award was one thing, but friendship was made through this,” says Rouleau.

Visit www.novascotia.ca/bravery  for information on how to nominate someone for the Medal of Bravery.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Kelland Sundahl