ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. We found her – right before her family found me.
Faithful readers of this column will recall the story of little Donna Lee Vigil, who was 3 when she survived a near-drowning in the Santa Fe River on May 5, 1958, because of the heroism of Glen Malin, a 44-year-old World War II Navy veteran.
Malin, a “shy hero” as the Santa Fe New Mexican called him, had not been one to talk about his gallantry. That day at the river he had jumped into the water, scooped up the lifeless child and began resuscitation efforts.
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When others arrived to help, he slipped away before anybody could get his name. His identity might have never been known had his boss not contacted the newspaper for what became a front-page story.