John C. Crews,12, schoolboy, helped to save Stephen A. Swan, 15, schoolboy, from drowning, Penhook, Virginia, August 1, 1967. Stephen swam 150 feet from the bank of a lake to an anchored buoy. When he started back to the bank he stopped after swimming only a few feet and began thrashing about in the deep water. John, who was swimming in the area, swam to where Stephen by then had sunk. Although Stephen outweighed him by about 50 pounds, John brought him to the surface. Stephen grasped John and struggled, causing them to be submerged. John broke free, and they surfaced. Stephen again grasped John, and both were submerged a second time. After John broke away, they surfaced; but Stephen sank again. Once more John brought him to the surface. Stephen then ceased struggling. Although he was tired and winded, John towed Stephen to within 110 feet of the bank. He then was met by a woman who aided him in taking Stephen to wadable water. A man waded to them and took Stephen the rest of the way to the bank as John and the woman followed.
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