Paul Wolkin, 39, furniture manufacturer, helped to save Janet S., 27, and Lawrence W. Vera, Jr., 2, and attempted to save Janet L. Vera, 12, from drowning, East Montpelier, Vermont, April 8, 1954. A four-door sedan in which Mrs. Vera, Lawrence, and Janet were riding skidded from a highway into the Winooski River, submerging upright in cold water six feet deep 20 feet from the bank. Mrs. Vera climbed into the back seat holding Lawrence and Janet. Wolkin alighted from his automobile and ran to the bank. Removing only his topcoat and suit coat, he entered the water. He attempted to swim directly to the sedan but was carried three feet downstream from it by the three m.p.h. current. Swimming as hard as he could against the current, Wolkin progressed to the sedan just as it settled to the bottom. He submerged to the right rear door and with great effort opened the door slightly. He strained himself, experiencing sharp pain in his back and chest as he thrust one leg against the door and opened it wider. Briefly raising his head above water for air, he groped into the sedan, got hold of Lawrence, and drew him outside. Emerging, Wolkin lifted Lawrence onto the roof of the sedan, which was covered by water three to six inches deep. After taking a deep breath Wolkin again submerged and reached into the sedan. He found Mrs. Vera, pulled her from the sedan, and raised her to the roof, telling her to hold Lawrence. She told Wolkin that Janet still was inside. As he lowered his head beneath the water and groped into the sedan, Wolkin felt intense pain in his abdomen. He swallowed water and rose, observing that Lawrence and his mother had been swept from the roof and were drifting rapidly downstream. Wolkin was reluctant to give up his search for Janet but realized that the others were in imminent danger of drowning. Swimming 70 feet, he overtook Lawrence and Mrs. Vera, who was inert and had released Lawrence. Wolkin took hold of Mrs. Vera and clamped Lawrence to his side. They drifted 30 feet, Wolkin in that distance towing Lawrence and Mrs. Vera to eight feet from the bank. He tried to get footing on the irregular bottom but was too weak to stand in the current. Two men who waded from the bank extended a tree branch to Wolkin, and he thrust Lawrence to them. Mrs. Vera slipped from Wolkin’s grasp but was pulled to the bank by the men, who aided Lawrence and Wolkin from the water. Janet’s body was recovered an hour and a half later. Lawrence, Mrs. Vera, and Wolkin all were suffering from extreme shock and exposure and were removed to a hospital, where Mrs. Vera was revived. She contracted pneumonia and was confined to bed for a week. Wolkin was hospitalized three days and suffered from effects of the act for six weeks. All recovered. 43141-3953
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