Anthony Yakawiak, 38, hammerman, helped to save Stephen J. Pendergast, 12, schoolboy, from drowning, Phoenix, New York, May 21, 1953. While fishing from the retaining wall of a powerhouse just below a dam in the Oswego River, Stephen, who wore hip length boots and could not swim, attempted to retrieve a small tackle box and slipped into deep water. A swift current carried him to an area of highly turbulent water five feet downstream from a series of sluice openings of the powerhouse 30 feet from the bank. Yakawiak, who was heavily clothed and also wore hip boots, jumped from the wall and swam 25 feet to Stephen. They were submerged together, and Yakawiak, whose clothing and boots were waterlogged, with great effort brought Stephen to the surface. Yakawiak could make no progess towing Stephen cross current toward the bank. Drifting 25 feet with Stephen, Yakawiak came in contact with a fill of loose rocks which extended within five feet of the surface at the edge of a deep hole, and he barely got footing on the rocks. With difficulty he supported Stephen alone for nearly five minutes. Another man, who was a strong swimmer and had disrobed to his underwear, then swam to them as a rope became available, and all were drawn from the water. Stephen was tired, and Yakawiak was chilled and nervous. Both recovered. 3879-42873
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