John Gregory Ehland saved Joann B. Alexander from drowning, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 26, 1977. Joann, 15, a non-swimmer, fell from a wharf into deep water in the Allegheny River, where she was submerged briefly and then called for help. Ehland, 50, telephone repairman, removed his shoes, dived into the water, and swam to Joann, who then was about 18 feet from the wharf. Tiring, Ehland was submerged briefly twice while towing Joann with difficulty to the vertical side of the concrete wharf, the surface of which was six feet above the water. Ehland boosted Joann upward to others on the wharf, and they pulled her from the water. Ehland then also was aided onto the wharf.
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