Robert H. Vidler helped to save Beverly G. Jubenville from drowning, Erieau, Ontario, July 28, 1964. When he got into difficulty in water eight feet deep in lake Erie 100 feet from shore, Jubenville, 22, truck driver, a poor swimmer, grasped his younger brother and struggled with him, causing them to be submerged briefly several times. The brother broke away and, too fatigued to help Jubenville, swam to the beach. Robert, 11, schoolboy, and his mother, Mrs. Mary Lou Vidler, were nearer shore and saw the situation. Robert immediately swam 60 feet to Jubenville, who weighed nearly twice as much as he. Jubenville grasped Robert at the shoulders, and his struggles caused them to be submerged briefly twice. They had gone under water for a third time when Mrs. Vidler arrived. She submerged, thrust upward from the bottom, and in ascending pushed Jubenville and Robert to the surface. Robert broke free of Jubenville, who was too fatigued to struggle further. While Mrs. Vidler held Jubenville’s head above water, Robert submerged behind him, thrust upward from the bottom, and in surfacing pushed Jubenville toward the beach. Six times Robert repeated this action and, with Mrs. Vidler supporting Jubenville at the surface, moved him 40 feet toward shore. With effort they took Jubenville 10 feet farther to wadable water, where two men met them. Nearly exhausted, Robert and Mrs. Vidler followed as the men took Jubenville to shore.
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