Fred Worthington, Jr., died attempting to rescue William R. H. Miller from electric shock, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 28, 1982. A severe thunderstorm had knocked two live power lines, carrying 13,200 volts, into an area flooded by run-off at the intersection of Academy Road and President Street. William, 11, rode his bicycle in the vicinity and fell into the flooded area near the downed lines. Worthington, 55, electric company troubleman, saw William fall and ran through the water to him. He bent toward William, then fell, dying of electrocution. William died later of electric shock
58626 – 6685
58626-6685Obituary
The family of Fred J. Worthington, Jr., of Willow Grove, Pa., wasn’t surprised when they heard of his heroic but fatal attempt to rescue a boy who had fallen off his bicycle into a puddle of electrified water in Northeast Philadelphia. “That’s the type of man he was,” recalled his daughter, Suzanne.
Worthington was trying to rescue William Miller, 11, from a 3-foot puddle of water into which a downed electrical wire had fallen during the thunderstorm Wednesday afternoon. He suffered a severe shock when he lifted the boy. Both Worthington and the boy, the son of a retired Philadelphia detective, were electrocuted and were pronounced dead at the Frankford Hospital.
Employed by Philadelphia Electric Co. for over 30 years, Worthington was a company “troubleman.” Born in Philadelphia, he was the son of the late Frederick J. and Frances R. Jones Worthington. He was a veteran of World War II and a Willow Grove resident for almost 25 years.
Worthington was a member of the Masonic Lodge No. 400 F&AM of Jenkintown, Scottish Rite Bodies of Philadelphia, AASR Valley of Philadelphia, and the North-South Skirmish Association of Philadelphia. He was a member of the Bucks County Fish and Game Association, and VFW Post No. 676 of North Hills.
(Edited from an obituary in the Daily Intelligencer, July 30, 1982.)