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Started By
Message
31 Years ago today, Joe Delaney died trying to save 3 boys
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:14 pm
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:14 pm
quote:
Delaney, a Chiefs running back who had spent two years in the NFL as of June 29, 1983, noticed that a trio of young boys had waded into a man-made water hole. It contained an unknown deep end, and they quickly were in trouble.
As Frank Deford, then of Sports Illustrated, later explained it, “There were all sorts of people around, but only Joe dashed to the pond. There was a little boy there. ‘Can you swim?’ he asked Joe.
“‘I can’t swim good,’ Joe said, ‘but I’ve got to save those kids. If I don’t come up, get somebody.’ And he rushed into the water.”
Delaney saved one of the boys. Two drowned. Delaney drowned, too.
Joe Delaney died at the age of 24, with a wife and three young girls.
LINK
12
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:17 pm to tduecen
There had to be some swimmers that witnessed that, yes?
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:17 pm to tduecen
Did not know about that. Thanks for posting.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:25 pm to tduecen
Such a sad story and the kid he saved turned out to be a POS (at least at the time the DeFord article was written.)
Posted on 6/29/14 at 1:28 pm to tduecen
That's awful 
Posted on 6/29/14 at 2:00 pm to tduecen
The ultimate sacrifice...respect man.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 3:58 pm to tduecen
I remember that day. I was a student at Northwestern State, off for the summer, but I had driven up to visit friends. I was hanging around the university radio station (I worked there my entire time at Northwestern), BSing with my buddies, when the news came over the AP teletype. Ripped it off the printer and read it immediately.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 4:25 pm to tduecen
As a guy growing up around Chief's fans, surprised I have never heard this story. What a courageous act.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 4:35 pm to tduecen
quote:
“‘I can’t swim good,’ Joe said, ‘but I’ve got to save those kids. If I don’t come up, get somebody.’ And he rushed into the water.” Delaney saved one of the boys. Two drowned. Delaney drowned, too. Joe Delaney died at the age of 24, with a wife and three young girls. LINK
Wow. What a great human being.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 4:35 pm to tduecen
Happened at Critter's Creek in Monroe. Such a tragedy....
Posted on 6/29/14 at 6:57 pm to tduecen
Sad.
Posted on 6/29/14 at 11:10 pm to tduecen
Sad thing that haunts me in that I was playing golf that afternoon at Chenault. A trained lifeguard and quite able in those years I rue that I did not hear about it until leaving the course. Timing it from reports, I was near #11 when it happened, close enough (in my mind) to have helped had I heard. He was a great one.
Posted on 6/30/14 at 8:14 am to tduecen
Thanks for posting. This is the first I have hears of this story and I am from the same area. This is a story that should be remembered
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