Franklin J. S. Brennan died attempting to save Norma Cain and Kenneth Cain from drowning, Little Britain, Ontario, July 5, 1961. While wading in shallow water on a shale ledge extending 15 feet from the bank of a creek, Norma, 9, stepped off the ledge into water 25 feet deep and was submerged briefly. She called for help, and her struggles carried her to 25 feet from the bank. Cain, 54, real estate developer and Norma’s grandfather, who could not swim, waded 15 feet and stepped into the deep water. He was submerged briefly and then struggled to stay afloat. Removing only his jacket, Brennan, 43, subway car motorman, who was a poor swimmer, also waded 15 feet and stepped from the ledge. He then swam 10 feet to Norma, calmed her, and told her to hold to him from behind, which she did. Brennan swam five feet with her to Cain and started to tow both toward the bank. Cain suddenly broke away, flung his arms in the air and, as he began to sink, grasped Brennan’s arms. Brennan’s wife, Kathleen M., removed her shoes at the bank and, because she was a poor swimmer, obtained a boat oar from 45 feet away. As Mrs. Brennan returned to the bank opposite them, Cain sank, pulling Brennan down with him. Norma released Brennan and struggled weakly 20 feet from the bank. Neither Cain nor Brennan reappeared. Mrs. Brennan waded 15 feet. As she extended the oar, she stepped off the ledge into deep water, where she felt the pull of an undercurrent. Norma grasped the other end of the oar and pulled hard, drawing Mrs. Brennan several feet farther from the bank. Mrs. Brennan reached backward with her free hand and grasped the irregular edge of the ledge, which provided a poor handhold. She drew herself to a seated position on the ledge and by means of the oar swung Norma into shallow water, from where both waded to the bank. Others were summoned, and the bodies of Cain and Brennan were recovered.
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