Sam C. Sheriff, 20, student, attempted to save W. Donald Bond, 10, from drowning, Athens, Georgia, October 16, 1938. A sedan automobile in which Donald and his mother were riding plunged into the Old Waterworks Pond and rested in an upright position in water seven feet deep 15 feet from the bank. Removing his outer clothing, Sheriff from the bank waded and swam to the automobile, which was 18 inches beneath the surface. Unable to open the doors, he got on the roof and kicked and tore a hole two feet long in it. Reaching through the hole, Sheriff pulled Donald’s mother, who was unconscious, to the surface and then swam towing her to the bank. Swimming back to the automobile, he entered it through the hole; and groping, he found Donald on the floor. He pulled Donald onto a seat and then pushed himself through the hole and rose to the surface. Lying on the roof, Sheriff then reached into the automobile, pulled Donald to the surface, and swam towing him to the bank. Donald’s mother was revived, but Donald could not be revived.
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