Nicola 'Nick' Gilio was one of many looking for a seven-year-old girl who had vanished after her dance class in 2018.
The girl's disappearance in the Sydney suburb of Kogarah sparked worry and concern amongst everyone in the area and Nick followed his instinct and checked on a public toilet block.
It was there he found Anthony Peter Sampieri, who was high on ice and had just brutally raped and abused the young girl.
Advert
Shocked at seeing the girl tied up, Nick tried to detain Sampieri as he attempted to flee from the men's bathroom.
The child rapist pulled out a knife and stabbed Mr Gilio in his stomach as well as on the wrist and neck. Despite the concerning wounds, Nick managed to slam Sampieri's head against he wall before putting him in a headlock.
He was assisted by dance teacher Jeffrey Stack, who punched the rapist unconscious and helped detain him until police arrived.
Advert
More than two years after the horrifying incident, Nick is being honoured with an international bravery award.
He will receive the Stanhope Gold Medal at NSW Parliament House today (March 12) after being selected by the UK-based Royal Humane Society.
Only one of these awards are given out each year and last year's winners went to British cave divers Richard Stanton and John Volanthen for their role in the 2018 Thai cave rescue.
Advert
The Stanhope Gold Medal recognises the highest act of bravery in the Commonwealth.
Mr Gilio's assistant in the citizen's arrest, Jeffrey Stack, will also receive the bronze Galleghan Award for bravery.
When Sampieri was sentenced, Nick said outside the court that it was and 'honour to have...freed [the victim] from the hands of evil'.
Advert
The rapist was last year sentenced to life behind bars without the possibility of parole, which was the first man in New South Wales to receive such a punishment.
The 57-year-old pleaded guilty to 10 charges including three counts of sexual intercourse with a child, and the court heard he entered the bathroom that day just to 'shoot up', but made a last minute decision to abduct, rape and abuse the girl when he saw her.
During sentencing, Judge Paul Conlon said praised Nicola Gilio for his quick thinking: "To you sir, I would say this: the victim, her family, everyone at the dance school and indeed the whole community are indebted to you for the courage you displayed in the face of a person wielding a knife and in successfully subduing and detaining the offender."
Featured Image Credit: 9NewsTopics: Australia