Lyall Hatton Crawford saved Thomas W. Hoffman from drowning, Goderich, Ontario, June 23, 1934. While Hoffman, 24, was on a pier that rose eight feet above the water in Lake Huron, his face and hands began to move convulsively, and he began to walk and finally to run in circles. Crawford, 21, student, who had seen Hoffman suffer from a similar attack, tried to prevent him from going into the water, but Hoffman kicked and struck at him and a little later plunged from the pier into water 15 feet deep. Struggling violently, he drifted to a point 30 feet from the pier. Crawford, who was lightly clothed, dived from the pier and swam to Hoffman. He clasped Hoffman with one arm from behind and swam 15 feet toward the pier, Hoffman continuing to struggle. Crawford then got hold of the end of a rope that was tossed to him by a man on the pier and was towed to a ladder at the pier. A man on the pier reached down and took hold of Hoffman’s hands, and by his pulling and Crawford’s pushing, Hoffman was raised to the top of the pier. Crawford ascended the ladder. Hoffman resumed running in circles and then walked to the shore. He later recovered.
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