Richard Conrad died helping to save Michael D. Ford from drowning, Seaside Park, New Jersey, September 13, 2004. Ford, 44, was wading in the Atlantic Ocean when he lost his footing and was pulled by a current away from shore. Unable to stand, he attempted to swim back to shore but made no progress. He yelled for help. Conrad, 72, retired engineering technician, was lounging on the beach in that vicinity. He and two other men ran into the water and swam to Ford, who was struggling to keep his head above water. They got Ford atop a plastic surfboard and began to swim back to shore. Conrad, however, stopped swimming and was observed apart from the others, floating face down in the water. Lifeguards from a neighboring municipality arrived and swam to Conrad. They returned him to shore, where they and responding paramedics attempted to revive him. Conrad was taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Ford and the two other men reached shore safely.
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