Two 17-year-old girls struggled in Lake Manitoba near Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, during a June 3, 2020, outing in which they left drifting inflatables in an attempt to swim back to shore. Carnegie Hero Renata Bandel, 52, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, was swimming with her niece about 150 feet from shore when others alerted her to one of the girls about 150 feet farther out. Bandel swam to her, instructed her to turn over onto her back, and tugged her by the back of the life vest toward shore, struggling against choppy waves. About halfway to shore, others swam from the beach to assist the girl to the beach. Although Bandel could not see the other girl, a bystander pointed out her vicinity, and Bandel swam out again, finding the other girl about 450 feet from shore. Towing her in the same manner, Bandel swam about 250 feet before a rescue boat arrived at the scene and assisted Bandel and the girl, who was ultimately treated at a local hospital for hypothermia, to shore.
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