Virginia Tremblay

Virginia Tremblay, 26, housewife, saved Francis K., 7, and Michael J. Rayne, 6, and attempted to save David C. Breen, 7, from drowning, Brookline, Massachusetts, February 9, 1949. Francis, Michael, and David broke through ice on a pond into water four and a half feet deep 100 feet from the bank. Mrs. Tremblay, who was a poor swimmer and unaware of depths and conditions, ran 50 feet to the pond. Although suffering from headache and nausea, she walked rapidly 85 feet on the ice toward the boys and broke through. Partly swimming and wading with difficulty because of deep viscous mud in which footing was difficult, she broke ice for eight feet to Francis and Michael, who were close together in the hole measuring eight feet in diameter. David was submerged. Grasping Francis and Michael, Mrs. Tremblay supported them for at least two minutes as she shifted her feet in the mud to maintain herself. A man who was a good swimmer reached the hole, lifted Francis onto the ice, and pushed him farther from the edge. Meanwhile Mrs. Tremblay held Michael with one hand and to the edge of the ice with the other as she shifted her feet in the slippery mud to keep from sinking deeper. Releasing her hold of the ice, she groped in the water for David but did not find him. She placed a rope, which was passed to her, around Michael but could not tie it because of numbness of her hands. By then others had reached the hole. Michael was pulled from the hole by a rope, and Mrs. Tremblay was helped onto the ice. She suffered from shock and exposure but recovered. David was drowned.