Jimmy Avant died helping attempt to save Melvin Choice, Jr., from drowning, Algonquin, Illinois, November 14, 2008. Melvin, 17, was one of a group of high school boys that, late at night, took several paddleboats onto the Fox River at the camp where they were attending a seminar. The boat that Melvin and two of the other boys were in was taking on water at about the center of the 300-foot-wide river. Jimmy, 18, and another of the students on the bank boarded one of the paddleboats and made their way toward the disabled boat. Melvin entered the 42-degree water from that boat in an attempt to swim, but he began to struggle in the eight-foot-deep water. Although he was wearing extra attire, Jimmy dived from his paddleboat and swam toward Melvin, as did the student who had accompanied Jimmy. The three boys struggled and then submerged. Divers recovered them from the river several hours later. All had drowned.
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