Thomas Fay, Jr., 33, teacher, died attempting to save Bobby W. Wilson, 15, schoolboy, from drowning, Folly Beach, South Carolina, May 19, 1956. While playing in the surf, Bobby was caught in the strong undercurrent beyond a breaker-line 100 feet from shore and drifted into deeper water, calling for help. Fay, who was a fair swimmer despite pronounced curvature of the spine as the result of an accident, swam 20 feet toward Bobby; but another boy, who was a good swimmer although handicapped by a plaster cast covering his torso, reached him first. Bobby grasped the boy; and both were submerged in water five feet deep, where the boy broke Bobby’s hold. They surfaced separately, and the boy returned to the beach as Fay swam 16 feet farther to Bobby, who then was in water six feet deep between waves two feet high 150 feet from shore. Fay grasped Bobby’s hair but lost his hold as a wave submerged them. They surfaced eight feet apart, and Fay continued swimming toward Bobby but was unable to overtake him. An inflated inner-tube thrown by a man on the beach fell short of Fay. Bobby continued drifting to 175 feet from the beach, where he suddenly disappeared beneath the surface. Shortly thereafter Fay also sank. Others arrived and located Fay, who could not be revived. Bobby’s body later was washed ashore. 43872-4104
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