Honor William Jarvey's Heroic Legacy

My name is Robert Jarvey, and this fundraiser is in honor of my Father's cousin, William Charles Jarvey, pictured above with his sisters Judy and Della.

William died as a hero in 1966 at just 14 years old while attempting to save two younger girls from drowning in L'anse, Michigan. His efforts lead to one of the girls being saved, however he unfortunately died with the second girl. For his heroism, he was posthumously awarded the Carnegie Medal for individuals who risk death or serious physical injury to an extraordinary degree saving or attempting to save the lives of others.

By all accounts, William was well aware of the danger, as he had warned the girls of the increased current, but he did not hesitate to act when they needed help. The following excerpt is taken directly from his Carnegie Medal page at https://www.carnegiehero.org/hero-search/william-charles-jarvey/

"William Charles Jarvey, 14, schoolboy, died attempting to save Jean M. Asikainen, 12, and Ruth M. Knapp, 10, from drowning, L’Anse, Michigan, July 18, 1966. Jean, who could not swim, and Ruth, a poor swimmer, were wading in a dredged basin at the mouth of a river when the diversion of water into a nearby mill was greatly curtailed. The resulting flow of additional water into the basin caused a sudden increase in depth and current, and the girls were swept into water seven feet deep. They struggled to stay afloat 40 feet from a seawall at the bank as the current rapidly subsided. Jarvey ran 200 feet to the wall opposite Jean and Ruth, kicked off his shoes, and jumped into the water. He waded and swam 40 feet, reaching a point alongside Jean. Ruth was treading water feebly four feet away. Jean grasped Jarvey by the shoulder, and he was submerged briefly. Jean then seized both of his shoulders. Jarvey was submerged again, and Jean released him. Jarvey did not return to the surface. By that time Ruth was no longer in sight. Two youths and a young woman, with the aid of an inner tube, took Jean to the seawall, and she was removed from the water. Divers later recovered the bodies of Ruth and Jarvey."

I grew up hearing the stories of the heroism of my first cousin (once removed) and have strived to live up to his sacrifice. I have failed many times along the way, and though I never met him, thoughts of him have sustained me during many difficult times in my life. I've always wanted to help others, and knowing that there was a true hero in my family pushed me to continue my efforts even when I was at rock bottom. Even when I didn't want to live anymore. Today I am a 911 dispatcher, and I help people every day, and I have no doubt that William saved me too and pushed me to become the best version of myself.

The Village of L'anse, Michigan maintains a baseball field in William's honor, as William loved to play baseball. The local high school also presents the William Jarvey memorial award for outstanding citizenship to a deserving student each year.

I plan to visit L'anse this summer to see William's grave site, and the baseball field named in his honor, for the first time. I would love to be able to present the village with some money for upgrade/upkeep of William Jarvey Field. I have spoken with the Village President who has assured me that he would be willing to create and manage a fund solely for this purpose.

I pray that you all will assist me in ensuring that William's sacrifice continues to be remembered for years to come. If you have a loved one who made a similar sacrifice, I encourage you to donate in their honor, and share their story here.

In a world seemingly bereft of heroes, it is important that we never forget those who were willing to lay down their life for others.

Thank you so much for reading my story about my cousin William, the hero of my family, and God bless you all.