Richard Francis Smith, 16, schoolboy, saved Leo A., 7, and C. Robert Gilkie, 11, from drowning, Sambro, Nova Scotia, July 17, 1965. Leo and Robert were in a rowboat 115 feet from the bank of Sambro Creek when the craft was swamped, throwing them into water eight feet deep. Unable to swim, they flailed wildly and shouted for help. Smith ran 300 feet and entered the water fully clothed. He waded and swam to the rowboat and lifted Leo into the craft, which contained about eight inches of water but still was buoyant. Smith then swam 12 feet to Robert, who was rising and sinking alternately. Robert threw his arms around Smith’s neck and gripped him around the waist with his legs. Both were submerged. As they sank, Smith tried in vain to break free. He pushed off the bottom with Robert clinging tightly to him, and they surfaced three feet from the rowboat. Smith swam to the boat and took hold of it. He calmed Robert somewhat. Robert removed his legs from around Smith. Towing the rowboat with Leo in it, Smith swam 65 feet toward the bank with Robert still clinging to him. He then found footing and waded 15 feet farther. He released the boat and waded the rest of the way to the bank with Robert. Smith then waded back to the rowboat and towed it with Leo in it to the bank
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