William Gordon Waite helped to save John A. van Angeren from drowning., Pouce Coupe, British Columbia, August 16, 1965. John, 9, who could not swim, was wading in the Pouce Coupe River. Thirty feet from the bank he stepped into a hole 40 feet in diameter in which the water was six to seven feet deep. He floundered and was submerged briefly several times, moving farther from the bank. Gordon, 10, schoolboy, waded and swam 40 feet to John, who was flailing wildly. John grasped Gordon around the waist, pinning the latter’s arm and causing them to be submerged Gordon surfaced with John still clinging to him. Swimming with his free arm and his legs, Gordon moved John six feet toward the bank. In so doing, they were submerged twice and swallowed water, but Gordon surfaced with John each time. They then were within four feet of wadable water but were nearly exhausted. A 15-year-old youth who was a good swimmer went to the edge of the hole and extended a hand to Gordon, who took hold of it. The youth drew Gordon, with John still clinging to him, to wadable water, from where they were aided to the bank.
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