Henry Yokem, 60, farmer, rescued Michael R. Cawthon, John L. Simpson, and John D. Miller, and attempted to rescue Donald W. Tedrow, each 17, schoolboys, from burning, Summer Hill, Illinois, November 6, 1965. At night a four-door sedan veered from the highway and struck a concrete abutment, which forced the engine partly into the front seat section. All five of the youths in the sedan were knocked unconscious. Yokem, who had a cardiac condition, ran 200 feet to the automobile, where flames had broken out in the driver’s area and on the hood. Despite his wife’s warnings of a possible explosion, Yokem opened the right front door and removed Cawthon, who had been thrown into the front section. Yokem next removed Simpson. The flames were increasing, and heat was intense. Yokem leaned into the sedan and drew Miller partly through the doorway. Leaning over Miller, he grasped Tedrow but found that he was pinned behind the steering wheel. Yokem pulled and tugged. He then experienced chest pains. He withdrew from the sedan and took medicine which lessened the pain. Leo Alvin Daniels arrived and ran to the open door. Yokem’s wife again warned of a possible explosion. Daniels dragged Miller away from the sedan. Returning to the door, he leaned into the automobile and tried without success to dislodge Tedrow. Hearing a groan, Daniels reached into the back seat and located Francis E. Dark. He removed Dark, returned to the sedan, and again tried to free Tedrow, whose feet were in the flames. A passing truck caused the flames to spread, forcing Daniels to withdraw. Firemen arrived and put out the flames. Tedrow died in the flames. Simpson and Miller sustained burns which healed. They and the other two surviving youths recovered from their injuries.
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