Alan Dare was a "big man who did the small things".
The 58-year-old was gunned down in the Wieambilla shooting in December, along with two officers in what police have described as a "religiously motivated terrorist attack".
A neighbour to the three shooters, Mr Dare had gone over to the property after seeing a burning car.
In a ceremony in Chinchilla on Saturday, his family accepted a bravery award on his behalf.
Daughter Renee Richards said her dad was "the best".
"He would do anything for anyone," she said.
"Changes the tyres, he does everything. Now I've got to learn how to do everything myself."
Speaking ahead of the ceremony, widow Kerry Dare said he had gone out to protect his family.
"He deserves it [the award], for what he did that day to go out and make sure we were safe," she said.
"He was brave. He lay in the dirt for 13 hours.
"He was a very reserved man. He would not have gotten up on the stage and accepted this award for himself."
Mrs Dare knew this day would come, but she said it had taken her a long time to be ready to accept the gesture on behalf of her husband of 26 years.
"Once this is done, it'll all be over and we can try and get back to normal," she said.
Today's ceremony at Chinchilla in Queensland's Western Downs region was originally planned for January but Mrs Dare said she wanted to wait until the event could be opened to the whole community and organised by a police officer she trusted.
She felt Mr Dare's memory had been overshadowed by the intense police involvement.
"He didn't want to be looked at in a box at his funeral and they [police] took [the funeral] over," Mrs Dare said.
"So this time, it's going to be done his way."
The medal will be presented by QPS Assistant Commissioner Charysse Pond.
Commissioner praises bravery
The QPS Bravery Medal is usually awarded to police officers who go above and beyond to protect and serve the community, but it can also be given to civilians who perform a similar act of bravery.
It is the highest-level medal QPS can bestow upon a civilian.
Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said Mr Dare's bravery on the day of the attack was not lost on the police service or the community.
"The public are just as brave in many of these instances as police are, as was Alan," she said.
"Most of these conversations happen through my assistant commissioner because she's gotten to know the family incredibly well, and I think that's really important, to keep it with someone who has gotten to know the family."
To be joined by children, grandchildren
It will be a rare outing for Mrs Dare, who will be joined at the ceremony by her children and grandchildren — all of whom are still grappling with grief.
"My son was just sitting here telling me he can't ring [Alan] to ask about an engine and my granddaughter doesn't want to be here because it's where her grandfather was shot," she said.
"My grandchildren are quite brave, but it has to have affected them.
"These kids won't learn to build engines [with their grandfather]. They won't get to ride his trucks because this place has been burnt out."
The month after Alan's death, the family welcomed a seventh grandchild, Tyler Alan.
"We didn't find out they were pregnant until she hugged me on the corner that night he died," she said.
"He didn't even know he had a seventh coming but I'm sure he does now."
Life after Alan
Since the incident, Mrs Dare has stayed mostly in the home they shared.
"It's taken me a little while to get used to being here on my own, but I don't know. I can't leave," she said.
"But he built it for me. It's my home … this is what we needed."
She said the property was full of memories and was much-loved by her husband.
"He loved being in the mud and chopping trees and always kept busy," Mrs Dare said.
"He didn't sleep a lot, so at night he'd walk around the property a lot … up the road past the Trains [the family responsible for his murder].
"We waved to them several times."
Appreciating community support
Mrs Dare hoped the community that had supported her since the tragedy would join her in Chinchilla for the ceremony.
"[The towns of] Tara and Chinchilla just came out and supported me so much, and they didn't know we were here [until the incident]," she said.
"Everybody seemed to know Al.
"We'd been in and out of butchers and bakeries for years and supporting the small shops and I was just surprised they noticed us.
"The people who mourned and cried … we'd never met them before but if they got that from seeing Al go and get bread and sausages, then good-o.
"That's what he was."
