Jonathan A. Barthel helped to save Kyan J. and Daniel J. M. Overbo from drowning, Lake Norden, South Dakota, April 21, 2014. After falling into the frigid water of Lake Poinsett after their canoe tipped, Kyan, 9, sat atop the submerged craft as his father, Overbo, 37, struggled to push it toward the bank. They shouted for help. Sleeping at his home nearby, Barthel, 21, a deputy sheriff then off duty, was alerted to the situation. He ran, barefoot, about 2,000 feet to a point on the bank opposite Kyan and Overbo. Wearing only gym shorts, Barthel entered the water, the temperature of which was about 40 degrees, and waded and then swam about 150 feet to the canoe. He lifted Kyan from the canoe, swam and waded back toward the bank, and handed Kyan over to his mother, who was in wadable water. Barthel then returned to Overbo, who, nearly exhausted, had continued toward the bank. He aided Overbo from the lake and took him to his nearby home, where he and Kyan were warmed. Overbo later sought medical treatment for ill effects of being in the water, but he recovered. Barthel suffered knee pain but recovered that day.
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