Edward Nez died attempting to save Wayne T. Jojola and Jerome A. Paquin from drowning, Sawmill, Arizona, November 19, 1960. When they ventured onto 16-foot logs, which filled a millpond of the Navajo Tribal Sawmill almost to capacity, Wayne, 9, and Jerome, 7, slipped and fell between logs into very cold water 10 feet deep. Neither Jerome, who was 30 feet from the bank, nor Wayne, who was five feet farther out, could swim. Jerome’s 10 year-old brother made his way on the logs to Jerome but, unable to aid him out of the water, returned to the bank and ran to get help. Nez, 24, mechanic’s helper, who never had been known to swim, was attracted and ran 250 feet to the pond. After taking off his shoes, he moved onto the logs and made his way to Wayne. Nez squatted, took hold of Wayne, and drew him partly out of the water. The log Nez was standing on then rolled, throwing him into the water. He and Wayne were submerged. By the time Jerome’s father and others reached the pond no one was at the surface. The bodies of Nez, Wayne, and Jerome later were recovered.
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