Cynthia L. Riediger died helping to save James F. Barker from drowning, Pelee Island, Ontario, August 23, 2010. Swimming in Lake Erie, Barker, 64, experienced difficulty against a strong undertow while attempting to return to the beach. His plight was witnessed by a friend on shore, Riediger, 53, geologist, who directed that help be called. Riediger and Barker’s wife then entered the water with an inflatable float and made their way out to Barker, who was about 165 feet from shore. With Barker’s wife holding him to the float, she and Riediger started to return to the beach, but at some point Riediger became separated from the float. Barker and his wife reached the beach safely. Barker was nearly exhausted, but he recovered. Riediger’s body was recovered from the lake two days later; she had drowned.
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