Robert L. Goff, 24, meter reader, saved Willa F. Reed, 52, housewife, from drowning, Logan, West Virginia, December 20, 1954. Mrs. Reed’s automobile skidded and plunged down a 20-foot bank into the Guyandot River, where the swift current carried the vehicle into water 12 feet deep. As water filled the front end, the automobile began to sink and Mrs. Reed moved to the rear seat, where she opened a window momentarily and called for help. A number of persons, including Goff, saw the accident and ran to the bank. After one man had waded into the water and then returned to the bank because of the current, Goff removed his coat and, without waiting to remove his galoshes, entered the water. Swimming 60 feet in the strong current, he managed to reach the vehicle and make his way to the rear window, the bottom of which was then two inches above water. As Mrs. Reed opened the window and extended her head, Goff braced his feet against the vehicle and took hold of Mrs. Reed’s coat collar with both hands. He then pulled her from the automobile, which sank almost immediately. Goff towed Mrs. Reed 75 feet to wadable water, where two men assisted them to the bank. Goff, who had been in the water approximately eight minutes, was cold, fatigued, and winded. Mrs. Reed was treated for shock, exposure, and bruises. Both recovered. 43666-4037
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