Justin Scott Slater

Justin Scott Slater saved a woman from drowning, Toledo, Ohio, July 31, 2024. The woman had jumped from a bridge over the Maumee River, a major shipping channel, at 2 a.m. and was struggling in the water and screaming for help. Slater, 38, and his father, 68, were fishing on a dock near the bridge when they heard a splash in the darkness. While his father called 911, Slater yelled to the woman and told her to swim towards his voice. As police arrived, he prepared to jump in to swim to her. An officer suggested he not attempt to swim to her for fear that she might drag him under. Slater said he could not let the person die and dived in. He swam about 195 feet to reach the woman, who had gone limp with her mouth and hands barely above the water and rest of her body submerged. He grabbed her and performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, then wrapped his arms around her in a bear hug and squeezed her until she coughed. He then placed one arm around her chest, wrapped his legs around her waist and, using his free arm, swam with her to the dock. Police secured him there with a rope and the fire department dive team pulled her out and took her to a hospital. Slater was uninjured.

2024-0000279-10487