Joseph A. Scolaro, 45, bus driver, helped to save Blanche M. Foltz, 63, from drowning, Denver, Colorado, October 14, 1966. During a severe snowstorm, Mrs. Foltz was wading across a street in ankle-deep floodwater and accidentally stepped into an excavation 12 feet square and eight feet deep. She was submerged briefly and, unable to swim, struggled to remain afloat. Scolaro stopped his bus at a nearby intersection and waded toward Mrs. Foltz, who was submerging intermittently in the muddy water. Scolaro got into the deep water, was submerged briefly, and then held Mrs. Foltz at the surface. She grasped Scolaro by the shoulders and caused him to be submerged briefly again. The weight of Scolaro’s soaked clothing impeded his movements, and he was unable to keep himself and Mrs. Foltz afloat. They were submerged together, but then separated and surfaced. Miss Linda Mary Heath arrived after having run barefoot from a nearby apartment building. By then Scolaro again had submerged. Miss Heath, unable to reach Mrs. Foltz from the edge of the pit, jumped into the deep water. Scolaro surfaced at the other side of Mrs. Foltz. Miss Heath and Scolaro together supported Mrs. Foltz, but they were unable to get out of the pit, which had vertical sides. A man waded to the edge of the excavation. He extended a hand to Miss Heath and drew her and Mrs. Foltz to the side of the pit. Scolaro released Mrs. Foltz. The man raised Miss Heath from the pit, and together they, removed Mrs. Foltz, who then was unconscious. Miss Heath noticed that Scolaro was having difficulty keeping afloat. With the man holding her hand, Miss Heath jumped back into the deep water and drew Scolaro to the side of the pit. After the man had drawn Miss Heath out of the excavation again, both lifted Scolaro from the pit. Mrs. Foltz was revived. She and Scolaro were treated at a hospital. They recovered.
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