Lawrence J. Simpson saved James J. Lingard, Jr., from drowning, South Bend, Indiana, January 30, 1935. James, 8, walked to the outer edge of ice that extended 30 feet from the bank of the Saint Joseph River. The ice broke under him, and he dropped into water nine feet deep. Simpson, 25, furniture repairer, who was fully clothed and was a poor swimmer, arrived at the bank and saw only James’s cap at the surface. He ran on the ice and from a point close to the edge jumped into the water. He was submerged, got hold of James five feet below the surface, and swam to the surface. Supporting James, who was unconscious, Simpson slowly trod water for eight feet to the ice and grasped the edge. Ice broke off under his grasp repeatedly as he moved for five feet toward the bank. A man standing 15 feet from the bank extended a tree branch to him. Simpson held to it with one hand, and, retaining his hold of James, he was pulled three feet through thin ice toward the bank. He then climbed upon the ice and pulled James out of the water. Dragging James, Simpson crawled five feet farther and then was aided to his feet. He and the other man carried James to the bank. James was revived.
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