Does your family have a hero within?

We do… his name is Paul. He is my cousin.
And the incident happen about 60 years ago
When he was about 9 or 10 years old.

I can close my eyes and see the same scene as
if it was yesterday.

It was a sunny day. And we were at 3rd Beach in
Middletown, R.I. We were near the Navy side as
my uncle was in the Navy. We would go down there
often with my Aunt Harriet’s family. She had 4 children
at that time and Dad just had my brother and myself..
We would have clam bakes or just picnic lunch with
tuna fish, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with pop.

This day we were all playing on the beach and for some
reason my cousin Paul, his brother Parker and my brother Roy
decided to get into the rowboat and go out a short distance.

As I was making sand castles, I heard yelling, and then saw my
father run as fast as he could past me, with my Uncle Tiny behind
him, followed by my mother and my Aunt Harriet. I can still see
my father in his black bathing suit, jumping into the surf and swimming
as fast as he could. Arriving at the boat, where my cousin Paul was
hanging on to the boat with one hand and hanging on to my brother
with the other. My brother fighting to get away and going down under
again. As Paul raised him up one more time, Dad grabbed him. They
were in about 6 or 7 feet of water. Way over any of the boy’s head.
Everyone was so proud of Paul, and got lots of hugs from all of the
adults. I don’t know what my folks did for Paul as a reward, but I
am sure there was something done.

To this day, my brother still thinks of Paul being a hero. We all do.
My brother was about 5 or 6 at the time… he will be 66 this month.

THANKS, PAUL