James J. Kinney

James J. Kinney, 13, school-boy, helped to save Richard A. Horning, 8, from drowning, Barberton, Ohio, February 19, 1951. Richard, who could not swim, broke through ice on Lake Anna into water 15 feet deep 70 feet from the bank and was submerged briefly. James ran 50 feet to the bank, removed his hat and shoes, and walking 10 feet toward Richard broke through into water waist-deep. He climbed onto the ice and crawled to within five feet of the hole made by Richard. The ice suddenly gave way beneath James; and he fell into deep water, the hole being enlarged to eight feet. James took hold of Richard and supporting him at the surface took hold of the edge of the ice. A policeman approached to within 15 feet of the hole and threw an end of a rope to James, who wrapped it around Richard’s waist. The policeman aided by others drew Richard and James from the hole and pulled them to the bank. Both boys suffered from shock and exposure; and James, who had been in the water 10 minutes, was tired and numbed. Both recovered.