Joshua P. S. Paik-Nicely saved Kenny R. Dison from drowning, Salyer, California, March 12, 2010. After his car left the highway in heavy rain, rolled down an embankment, and entered a pool of water along the bank of the Trinity River, Dison, 30, escaped the vehicle. Badly injured, he could not swim back to the bank against an eddy in the pool. Another motorist, Paik-Nicely, 29, general contractor, witnessed the accident and stopped at the scene. He sent for help and then from the top of the embankment saw Dison in the river treading water at a point about 25 feet from the bank. Paik-Nicely descended to the riverbank and, shedding only his jacket, entered the water, despite its 45-degree temperature. He swam through the eddy to Dison and established a hold around his shoulders. Paik-Nicely started to swim back to the bank with Dison, who outweighed him, but made no progress against the eddy’s current. Deciding to swim with the current, Paik-Nicely took Dison to a rock at the edge of the pool. He removed Dison partially from the water, and then another man who had arrived helped in fully removing him. Dison required hospitalization for treatment of a disabling injury.
83044 – 9435
83044-9435