Cooloongup hero awarded for bravery

Mr Race was working at the Reject Shop at Rockingham Shopping Centre on August 3 2010 when a 29-year-old man stabbed co-worker Gaynor Townsend in the face and throat with a stanley knife.

Mr Race will be honoured with a Bravery Medal in this year’s Australian Bravery Awards after being nominated by Kwinana MLA Roger Cook.

The incident happened when Ms Townsend questioned a customer about paying for a bottle of water, resulting in him pulling out a knife and stabbing her.

Mr Race rushed to Ms Townsend’s aid, also suffering a number of lacerations to his face and shoulder.

At the time, police said if Mr Race and another male staff member had not ‘put their own safety at risk, the outcome could have been a lot more serious’.