John Cody Clark helped to save a boy from drowning, Rockaway Beach, Oregon, July 1, 2012. A 12-year-old boy was struggling in the Pacific Ocean at a point about 150 feet from shore. John, 17, high school student, had just arrived at the beach and was alerted to the situation. He removed his shirt and shoes, entered the 55-degree water, and swam to the boy. Panicky, the boy grasped and submerged him. They resurfaced, and John calmed him. Establishing a hold of the boy, John attempted to swim back to shore with him but could not make any progress against a strong current and buffeting waves, which submerged them repeatedly. They were pulled farther from shore. After several minutes, rescue personnel who had been called reached them on a personal watercraft and returned them to safety. Both John and the boy were taken to the hospital for treatment. John was cold and dehydrated, and he recovered the next day.
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