William E. Cleary Sr. | Cleary’s Notebook
PHILADELPHIA PA (July13, 2026)--On Friday, July 11, 2026, a man traveling on Kelly Drive suddenly veered off the road and crashed into the Schuylkill River. The river runs parallel to Kelly Drive.
According to NBC10’s Miguel Martinez-Valle, the man experienced a medical emergency and plunged his red car into the Schuylkill River along the 2200 block of Kelly Drive. Bystanders, including a former national rower and a college coach, jumped into the water to rescue the trapped man before the vehicle fully submerged. [1, 2]
Libby Peters, a former member of the U.S. National women’s rowing team, and Rebecca Grzybowski, head coach of the Temple University women’s rowing team, were filming a documentary nearby when they heard a massive splash. Realizing the car was sinking into the middle of the river, they dove into the water and swam to the car.
Elisha Fox, another bystander, also rushed into the river with life jackets. As the car quickly took on water, the driver managed to free himself and get out of the vehicle. The good Samaritans reached the man, secured him with life jackets, and kept him afloat until he was safely brought to shore. Emergency crews and police dive teams arrived shortly after. The driver was transported to a local hospital and listed in stable condition. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
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