William John Delaney saved Robert L. Bumford from drowning, Concord, Massachusetts, February 22, 1935. Robert, 6, walked on ice that extended 15 feet from the bank of the Assabet River. The edge broke under him, and he dropped into water 12 feet deep. He grabbed the edge and later got his elbow on the ice for support. Scattered ice cakes two to four feet in diameter drifted in the current. Delaney, 19, schoolboy, who was skating on a pond 300 feet from the opposite bank of the river, ran on his skates through snow a foot deep to a point on the bank opposite Robert. Removing his shoes and his clothing to his waist, he dived and rose 20 to 30 feet from the bank. He was momentarily blinded, and, thinking he might be in wadable water, he tried to stand but was submerged. He swam to the surface, having drifted a little. He then swam 35 feet across the current of 3 to 4 m.p.h., and then in comparatively quiet water he swam 30 feet parallel with the bank to Robert and shoved him upon the ice. Robert crawled to the bank. Delaney tried to climb upon the ice, but the edge broke. He swam 15 feet to thicker ice closer to the bank and climbed upon it. Delaney was disabled three days.
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