Rudi was too heavy for me to carry but I found an oval
wicker basket in which I was able to scoop his body.
One time at a DeRidder Trade Days,
I had bought a large rope with a hook on one end
for leading a donkey.
It was just the right size to attach to the basket and drag
it out of the woods the same as one would pull a sled.
This brought back the vivid memory of my traumatic
experience of saving my husband from drowning.

After retirement, at various times, Kenneth would
walk and drive around the edge of the pond and bass
fish. One day it was already past our dinner time and
he still hadn't come home. I looked out the window
toward the pond but didn’t see him. After about 30
minutes I slowly glanced over the pond and saw what
appeared to be Kenneth's yellow woolen jacket in the
water.

I immediately telephoned for help and ran as fast as
I could to the pond. His head was partially above
water but he had already given up the fight to get out
of the pond. He appeared to be lifeless and couldn't
talk. His blue eyes looked at me as though to say:
"Will you help me?"

My 120 pounds was no match for his 270 pounds
plus with wet clothes. I had to have something with
which to pull him out of the water. I looked behind
the truck seat and found a long rope. With slow very
deliberate movements, I carefully backed the truck
to the edge of the pond - close enough to attach the
rope to Kenneth but not close enough to get stuck
or accidentally roll into the water and run over him.
It wasn't easy leaning over the water to get a rope
around Kenneth. He was too weak to assist me.
Then I started the truck and began to slowly drive
it forward but the rope, not being secured enough
came loose. I tried again to arrange the rope harness
style and in the next attempt I was able to drag him
out of the pond with the truck. I gave a sigh of relief
because I then knew that I should be able to handle
the rest of the situation.

Several times during the rescue,
I glanced toward the road and wondered
why anyone wasn’t coming to help me.

Although now safely on the ground, he was
nearly purple from the cold water and he was
too weak to move. I didn't have the strength
to pick him up. Then I thought of the riding
mower being a design that could support me in
getting Kenneth off the ground and in an upright
position. I don't know how much time had
passed but eventually he regained enough
strength to grab the mower and with my help get
into an upright position. After the passing of
more time he regained sufficient strength that
I was able to get him into a shower and give
him a bath. Even the separate picture sections
in his billfold were filled with mud.

Kenneth said more than once that he was thankful
that I found him.
God is all the help I had in making the rescue.