David S. Jenkins, 15, schoolboy, helped to save David H. Payne, 15, schoolboy, from drowning, Hop Bottom, Pennsylvania, August 1, 1954. While swimming in Loomis Lake 350 feet from the bank, Payne felt his legs become numb and was submerged briefly in deep water. His calls for help attracted Jenkins, who was helping a man to push a capsized sailboat toward wadable water. Swimming 225 feet through whitecapped waves nearly a foot high, Jenkins reached Payne, who was 25 pounds heavier than he, and took hold of him. After towing Payne 100 feet, Jenkins saw his 12-year-old sister approaching in a rowboat. He was impeded by Payne’s weight and made slow headway towing him 35 feet toward the boat. Due to the waves the sister was unable to bring the boat alongside Jenkins and Payne, and it drifted 30 feet beyond them. Retracing his course, Jenkins overtook the boat and aided Payne into the boat, which took him to the bank. Both Jenkins and Payne who were tired recovered readily. 43294-3944
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