Leon S. Yergin, 16, schoolboy, saved George T. Sabbag, 13, from drowning, Jacksonville, Florida, May 3, 1965. When their boat capsized in a pond and they were thrown into deep water alongside a large area of water lilies, George started to swim through the lilies while his companion swam around them and reached the bank very fatigued. Ninety feet from the bank George became completely entangled in the stalks of the lilies and called for help. The other youth summoned aid. A policeman and Yergin entered the water 150 feet from George. The policeman waded on the mud bottom and became stuck, later returning to the bank. Yergin swam to the lilies as George, weak from his efforts to free himself, sank briefly. Spreading the pads ahead of him, Yergin continued to George, who had started to sink again. Yergin held him at the surface, treading water with much difficulty because of the lilies. He reached under water and tore away the stalks around George’s body. Yergin made slow progress towing George through the lilies, but with effort he reached open water. By the time he had towed George a total of 80 feet, Yergin was fatigued. He secured footing in wadable water, from where another policeman aided him in taking George to the bank.
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