Alan L. Young died attempting to save Thomas McGeehin from being struck by an automobile, Towanda, Pennsylvania, October 18, 1961. Thomas, 9, Alan, 14, schoolboy, and several other pupils were crossing a street at a school crossing guarded by a special policeman and two schoolboys when an automobile with faulty brakes appeared over the crest of a hill 1,000 feet away and approached at a fairly high rate of speed. The policeman motioned for the elderly driver to slow down, but the automobile continued down the slight grade toward the crossing at undiminished speed. Alan and the other pupils reached the curb when Thomas still was about six feet from it and directly in the path of the oncoming vehicle. As the automobile narrowly missed the policeman, Alan turned and ran back on the crossing to just behind Thomas. Alan thrust against the back of Thomas, propelling him slightly toward the curb. The automobile struck both of them. Thomas was hurled 19 feet, sustaining a broken leg and other injuries. Alan suffered a fractured skull and a broken neck when he was caught and dragged 60 feet. The automobile stopped 300 feet beyond the crossing. Alan was pronounced dead at the scene.
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