Christian W. Smith, 27, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, had just finished a dog training session on June 1, 2020, on a pedestrian bridge that spanned the Grand River near Grand Rapids, when he saw that a man had jumped from the bridge into the 60-degree water in a suicide attempt. Smith ran from the bridge to the bank of the river, jumped in, and then swam more than 300 feet to the man, who was by then submerged. Smith pulled the man to the surface, held him against his chest, and swam to the bank. Using all his strength, Smith pushed the man up onto the bank and then exited the water. A rescue boat arrived and took the man to safety. He was treated at a hospital for near drowning. Smith was uninjured.
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