Hildur A. Ludvigsen, 15, schoolgirl, helped to save Norman A. Phelps, 9, and attempted to save Lawrence E. Phelps, 7, from drowning, Wakefield, Rhode Island, January 13, 1954. Norman, a very poor swimmer, and his brother Lawrence, who could not swim, broke through ice on the Saugatucket River into deep murky water 25 feet from the bank, making a hole five feet in diameter. Norman pushed Lawrence to the edge of the hole and feebly trod water supporting him. Hildur and Lynne L. La Marche heard the boys calling for help and ran 400 feet to the bank opposite them. Hildur broke off a dead five-foot branch from a tree, and they stepped onto the Ice. As they advanced to within five feet of the hole, they heard ice cracking and dropped to their knees. Crawling to the edge of the hole with Lynne, Hildur extended the branch three feet to Norman, who was tired and barely could keep his head above water. Lawrence had hold of the ice. Norman seized the branch, and Lynne also took hold of it. She helped to draw Norman within reach and obtained a hold at his shoulder. A section of ice three feet long at the edge of the hole gave way beside Lynne, and she fell partly into the water. Maintaining her hold on the branch, Hildur aided Lynne back onto the ice; and they drew Norman from the hole and crawled pulling him to the bank. Lynne, whose wet hair and clothing were beginning to freeze, immediately returned to the ice, walked 15 feet toward the hole, and dropped prone. As she crawled rapidly to the edge of the bole, Lawrence released his hold on the ice and sank. One of his gloves came to the surface. Lynne grasped the glove, found that it was empty, and submerged her head in the hole but could not see Lawrence. After about 30 seconds her eyes began to smart from sewage in the water, and she withdrew her head and made her way to the bank. Hildur went onto the ice again to search for Lawrence and was approaching the hole when police arrived and ordered her to return to the bank. A man equipped with long planks recovered Lawrence’s body 10 minutes later 70 feet downstream from where he had sunk. Norman was treated for shock and exposure at a hospital and recovered. Hildur and Lynne were nervous for several days. 43064-3918
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