Ethel Stone Weaver, 70, saved Eda J. Lawry, 61, from drowning, Friendship, Maine, July 3, 1958. When the small boat she was paddling capsized in Friendship Harbor, Miss Lawry was submerged in water 10 feet deep 32 feet from a shoreside dock where Mrs. Weaver, the only other person at the scene, was waiting for her. Miss Lawry appeared briefly at the surface and then remained submerged. Mrs. Weaver, who was under doctor’s orders to avoid all physical exertion because of high blood pressure and a heart ailment, dived into the water fully clothed and swam to the overturned boat. She submerged and took hold of Miss Lawry but found that the latter’s foot was caught in a tangled mass of fishing line hooked over an oarlock. After surfacing briefly for air, Mrs. Weaver freed Miss Lawry’s foot. She returned to the surface and obtained a chin hold on Miss Lawry, who was inert. Towing her and the lightweight boat, which was caught on Miss Lawry’s clothing, Mrs. Weaver swam back to the dock. The boat became detached as Mrs. Weaver with difficulty boosted Miss Lawry up the dock steps. Mrs. Weaver, who had been in the water almost 10 minutes, then climbed onto the dock and, too weak to rise, called for help. Others arrived and removed Miss Lawry to a hospital, where she was confined for two weeks with bronchial pneumonia and recovered. Mrs. Weaver was badly winded and nearly exhausted but recovered in two days without aggravation of her heart condition.
44512 – 4211
44512-4211