Rodney F. Huard died attempting to save Richard A. Bernard from drowning, San Francisco, California, January 1, 1970. While wading in the Golden Gate, Richard, 11, was caught by an incoming breaker and carried by a strong seaward current to 20 feet from shore, where he began flailing. Huard, 26, college student, was on the beach. Removing his shoes, he entered the water, made his way to Richard, and took hold of him by one arm. Richard continued flailing with his other arm. As succeeding breakers reached them, both Huard and Richard were hidden from sight momentarily. Despite Richard’s flailing, they remained close together, being submerged briefly on occasion. When carried to 30 feet from shore into choppy water between breaker lines, they still were together, but Richard was no longer flailing. About five feet farther from shore, they sank and did not reappear. Search of the area failed to locate their bodies.
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