Marian E. Bowden, 40, advertising account executive, saved Maryellen B. Smith, 30, from drowning, North East, Maryland, October 3, 1966. At night Miss Smith, a very poor swimmer, fell from a pier while fishing and was submerged briefly in deep water 150 feet from the bank of a cove in the Northeast River. Miss Bowden, the only other person at the scene, tied a rope to a cleat on the pier and dropped the other end to Miss Smith six feet below. Miss Smith-was unable to climb the rope but clung to it. Miss Bowden pushed a 12-foot plastic skiff off the end of the pier and then lowered herself into the boat. The craft almost capsized as Miss Bowden pulled Miss Smith aboard. Using the suspended rope, Miss Bowden climbed back onto the pier to get help. Miss Smith fainted, and the boat overturned. Miss Bowden jumped into the water fully clothed. She found Miss Smith unconscious three feet underwater and took her to the surface. Miss Bowden towed Miss Smith 50 feet to the main section of the pier and draped her over a diagonal brace extending between two wooden piles. She held Miss Smith on the brace and kept her face above water. At intervals Miss Bowden shouted for help. The air and water cooled, and Miss Bowden began to feel cold and cramped. She lost her hold on Miss Smith, who slipped into the water, but submerged and brought her back to the surface, where she draped her over the brace again. This happened at least 10 times, and Miss Bowden had to dive as much as six feet to get Miss Smith, who remained inert. Miss Bowden supported Miss Smith for approximately four hours. Her calls then were heard by a woman on the bank. Help was summoned. Miss Smith and Miss Bowden were removed from the water and hospitalized for shock and exposure. Miss Smith regained consciousness five hours later. Both recovered.
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