John J. Settergren, 22, student, attempted to save Margaret R., 30, and Dolores M. Miskowiec, 29, Ruth A. Pulkrabek, 21, and Carol Ann Krasick,20, from drowning, Mendota, Minnesota, November 7, 1955. When their two-door sedan skidded on an icy road and rolled into the Minnesota River, the Miskowiec sisters, Miss Pulkrabek, Miss Krasick, and two other young women were trapped inside the overturned automobile 15 feet from the bank in water at least five feet deep above mud a foot deep. One of the other young women kicked a hole through the windshield and reached safety with the aid of a young man before Settergren arrived. Noting that nobody was preparing to aid the other young women, Settergren disrobed to his undershorts, although the temperature then was 26 degrees, and tied one end of a 50-foot plastic hose around his waist. Those on the bank held the other end of the hose as Settergren waded and swam to the automobile. Without submerging he succeeded in opening the door and then pulled one of the young women from the vehicle. He towed her five feet toward the bank and then carried her five feet farther to others who had waded out to meet him. Although nervous and cold, Settergren returned to the automobile and in the same manner brought another young woman to near the bank. He then was trembling violently but returned a third time. Unable to locate anyone by feeling about below the surface, he submerged himself, held to the doorframe, and inserted his head and upper body into the vehicle. He then located another young woman, whom he pulled from the automobile and returned to near the bank. Settergren nearly was numb with cold but returned a fourth time. When he failed to find anyone by submerging and leaning into the vehicle as before, he released his hold on the doorway and extended his entire body inside the submerged automobile. Locating another young woman, he pulled her to the door and got out of the automobile, but his hands were so numb that he was unable to remove the young woman. He again submerged himself and, grasping her clothing with both hands and then pushing with his feet against the doorframe, propelled himself upward and backward, pulling the young woman with him. So numb that he was unable to stand, Settergren maintained his hold on the young woman as others pulled on the hose, drawing them to the bank. The four young women could not be revived, and the body of the fifth was not recovered until the automobile was removed from the water. Settergren was dazed, numb, and nervous but recovered completely the following day. 43876-4073
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