Richard A. Mathieson, Jr., 22, student, saved Daniel L., 9, James L., 7, Doris M., 38, and Timothy A. Eakin, 5, from drowning, Greenville, Pennsylvania, December 17, 1966. A four-door sedan containing Mrs. Eakin, her three sons, and a three-year-old daughter skidded on an icy highway and plunged into a reservoir, where it began to sink in water 10 feet deep 30 feet from the nearest bank. None of the occupants could swim. Daniel, James, and Mrs. Eakin climbed out and held to the top of the automobile until it sank completely. Flailing wildly, each was submerged briefly several times. Mathieson ran to the bank, removed his coat and shoes, and entered the water. He waded five feet to a drop-off and then swam to Daniel, who tried to grasp him. Mathieson towed Daniel 25 feet to shallow water, from where two other men took him to the bank. Mathieson then towed James, who also attempted to take hold of him, the same distance to the men. Mathieson returned to Mrs. Eakin, who was hysterical. She told him there were two other children in the sunken automobile. She grasped Mathieson, causing them to be submerged. Mathieson broke away. They surfaced, and Mrs. Eakin tried to climb onto him. Again Mathieson broke away. Keeping out of her reach, he pushed and pulled her 25 feet to shallow water. Mathieson then swam to Timothy, who had appeared at the surface, and towed him to the men. Swimming back to the same area, Mathieson twice dived almost to the bottom but could see nothing in the murky water. He returned to the bank nearly exhausted. When the sunken sedan was removed, the daughter’s body was found inside.
49263 – 5214
49263-5214