Sally T. Toepp, 22, housewife, saved Bryan D. Burton, 6, from drowning, New York Mills, New York, February 14, 1949. Bryan broke through ice that extended four feet from the bank of a creek and after drifting to open water five feet deep was pulled to within two feet of similar ice at the opposite bank by a boy using a tree-branch. Mrs. Toepp, who had been in poor health since the birth of a child six months before, slid 150 feet down a steep snow-covered hill to the bank and after removing only her shoes plunged into the water from the ice. She swam 22 feet across the creek to Bryan, who floated unconscious; pushed him to the edge of the ice; and stood in the water, her feet sinking a foot in mud at the bottom of the creek. Mrs. Toepp then lifted him onto the ice. The boy pulled Bryan to the bank, and Mrs. Toepp with difficulty climbed from the water. She gave Bryan artificial respiration for 10 minutes. He suffered from cold, shock, and exposure and had water in his lungs but recovered in four days. Mrs. Toepp was fatigued and was treated for shock and exposure but recovered.
41603 – 3628
41603-3628