William S. Turner saved George S. Lewis from drowning, Avalon, New Jersey, August 15, 1914. Lewis, 20, assistant manager, and Turner, 22, salesman, swam in the Atlantic Ocean to a point 300 feet from shore, and then Lewis became distressed in deep water. Turner swam to Lewis and tried to push him shoreward, but Lewis turned and grasped him at the shoulders with both hands. Lewis pushed Turner beneath the surface, and then Turner shook himself free. Turner tried to swim toward shore with Lewis, but because of an undertow made no progress. Turner went beneath the surface once or twice more and called to persons on shore to come out with a buoy. Lewis was very weak. Turner left him and swam hard for a distance of about 125 feet and then waded to shore. He was frightened by Lewis’s condition and was weak from his exertions, and his legs trembled as he waded. He ran 550 feet, got a buoy, and returned to the water. He asked a man to go out for Lewis and explained that he was so tired that he did not know whether he could undertake the rescue or not. The man would not go. Persons on shore held the end of a rope that was attached to the buoy, and Turner hung the buoy on his back by means of a loop of rope. He waded 175 feet and swam 150 feet to Lewis, who was ready to collapse when Turner reached him. Lewis grasped a loop of rope on the buoy, and Turner held him with one arm while holding to the buoy with one hand. Both were pulled to shallow water and helped to shore. Lewis was semiconscious, and Turner was exhausted. 13833-1133
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