Thomas F. McEvoy, 26, National Youth Administration project foreman, saved Mildred A. McCoy and Elizabeth M. Conaty, 20 and 19, respectively, and Nicholas Pawlyk, 22, mill-hand, from drowning, Derby, Connecticut, January 17, 1939. While skating on a pond, Miss McCoy, Miss Conaty, and Pawlyk broke through weak ice into water 12 feet deep 180 feet from the bank. The temperature was 29 degrees above zero. All broke ice in efforts to climb out, Miss McCoy being 10 feet from her companions. McEvoy, carrying a hockey-stick, skated within eight feet of Miss McCoy; the ice broke under him; and he swam to her and tried to boost her onto the ice. The edge broke, and he called to persons near to bring a log or a branch. He then trod water and rested one hand on ice-cakes and supported Miss McCoy until a log 12 feet long was pushed onto weak ice near her. He helped her to get hold of the log, and she was pulled onto firm ice. McEvoy climbed onto the ice and removed his outer sweater. He then went to a point opposite Miss Conaty, jumped into the water, swam eight feet to her, and tried to boost her upon the ice. She then got hold of a branch that was extended to her. McEvoy pushed her, and she crawled onto the ice. McEvoy then pushed Pawlyk three or four feet to the branch, and Pawlyk held to it and crawled onto the ice, McEvoy pushing him from behind. McEvoy took hold of the branch and crawled out. He had been in the water five minutes. He suffered from exhaustion and was disabled for one day.
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