SCRANTON — Seeing that two University of Scranton students and a 9-year-old boy were shivering cold on the shore of the Roaring Brook after a rescue attempt in Nay Aug Park on Sunday, 31-year-old Brian Strickland stripped “to his skivvies” and gave them his clothing to keep them warm, city Fire Chief Pat DeSarno said.
Mr. Strickland is the latest Good Samaritan to emerge from Sunday night’s incident at the gorge, in which a man died trying to save a boy. Robert Kehoe Jr. dove into the water when the 9-year-old, thought to be his son, slipped in around 4:30 p.m.
Three University of Scranton students were nearby and ran to help. Brian Teed, 19, stayed ashore with two other small children and Cesar Garcia jumped in the freezing water to help, Chief DeSarno said this afternoon.
Mr. Garcia, 18, was struggling and a friend, Michael Frawley, 18, jumped in to assist. They managed to rescue the boy and swam downstream to a railroad trestle, where they met Mr. Strickland and were rescued by firefighters. Mr. Kehoe passed away at the scene.
Mr. Garcia and Mr. Frawley were treated at Geisinger Community Medical Center then released, hospital spokeswoman Westyn Hinchey said.
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Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com; @jkohutTT on Twitter
