José L. Cruz helped to save Ronald R. Jurena from drowning, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, June 11, 1999. Jurena, 56, lost consciousness as he was being washed downstream by the extremely swift current of the Kinnickinnic River, which was swollen from two days of rainstorms. On a bridge crossing the river in the vicinity, José, 17, high school student, saw Jurena being swept away, and he immediately ran along the bank after him. After aborted attempts were made to extend a line to Jurena, José entered the river, which flowed in a concrete channel at the scene, swam to him, and grasped him by the jacket. Unable to regain footing in the current, José was carried with Jurena about 1,000 feet to a point along the bank to which a police officer and another man had responded. Those men helped José and Jurena from the river. Jurena was hospitalized for treatment of having nearly drowned, and José was tired, but he recovered.
73891 – 8432
73891-8432