TOLEDO, Ohio — A Toledo fisherman who pulled a woman from the Maumee River last summer received one of the highest civilian honors in North America on Tuesday.

Justin Slater and his father, Randall Slater, were fishing near the Martin Luther King Bridge in July 2024 when he saw a woman struggling in the water. Randall called 911. Officers warned them not to go in, but Justin says he couldn’t stand by.

“I heard the splash, then I seen her swimming and then she started screaming for help. I had to save her,” Justin said that night.

His father recalled what happened next.

“He said, 'Dad, I can't let this person die' and he dove in,” Randall said.

Justin swam about 195 feet to reach the woman, pulled her back to shore and performed mouth-to-mouth resuscitation before first responders ar

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