In that blog post I wrote about the story that I heard about my Aunt Barb nearly drowning in the narrows of Halifax Harbour when she was a baby and that made it to the front page of the newspaper
With thanks to my Aunt Deb, my sister Kelly and my cousin Jodie, I have added it t the original blog post (Things I Learned About My Nova Scotia Roots (in Ohio)) and I am posting the story here as well.
Into Cove Water: Floats About Until Rescued By Her Mother
Photo by Fraser
SHOWN above are Mrs. Fred Creighton and her daughter Barbara, inset picture Harold Sarson, who gave the alarm that resulted in the rescue of the two-year-old girl.
TWO YEAR OLD Barbara Creighton, pretty little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Creighton, of Tuft’s Cove, is alive and well today, but only after having gone through one of the strangest experiences recorded here in many years.
The child, one of a family of three, had wandered from the Creighton home at Tuft’s Cove on Sunday afternoon, following her father and little brother who had gone for a sail in a boat. Unaware of the danger, little “Babs” toddled out on the family float and unseen by anybody, toppled headlong into the water.
FLOATED IN WATER
Just what happened then is not known, but it was more than five minutes from the time she disappeared from the float that Harold Sarson, a young boy, noticed the baby floating in the water nearby. Calling frantically for help the boy attracted Mrs. Creighton’s attention and realizing that her baby’s life was endangered, she rushed to the scene.
“Babs” was floating head up in the water, apparently enjoying herself, but at her mother’s approach she struggled and sank beneath the surface.
OBEYS MOTHER’S PLEA
Disregarding her own safety, the mother began to wade out. She called to the child urging her not to be afraid, but stay quiet until she got there. Obediently, “Babs” stopped struggling and in this way remained afloat until the mother, up to her neck in the water, was able to reach out and grasp her clothing.
IS MYSTERY
How the child remained afloat without is a mystery. Mrs. Creighton was inclined to treat the matter lightly when questioned this morning. If Babs had not obeyed her command to remain quiet it is quite likely that she would have been drowned as there were no swimmers in the vicinity who could have gone to the rescue.
Mr. Creighton is an employee of the Halifax Shipyards and is a prominent softballer, being a member of the Tuft’s Cove Mountain Lions team.
Source: Halifax Newspaper: Estimated date: September 1935
Footnote from my aunt
ReplyDelete“Quite an amazing story it is, and outcome too. Turns out my sister Barbara, is a phenomenal swimmer to this day and Mom (Nana) never learned to swim! Thank you for posting Cindi Foreman ...”