http://www.nynewsday.com/news/local/queens/nyc-fune0706,0,4296656.story?coll=nyc-manheadlines-queens
Funeral for Queens teen who kept friend from drowning
DEBORAH MORRIS
STAFF WRITER
July 6, 2005
A funeral was held in Flu****ng Tuesday for Yuhang Gao, 15, who drowned
June 24 while swimming in Long Beach with a group of friends.
Before the service, Councilman John Liu presented Gao's family with a
City Council proclamation to honor his heroism and life of promise.
"His drowning is one of those inexplicable tragedies. By several
accounts of his friends he used his last ounce of strength to save
Andreas Park," Liu said.
"This [the proclamation] is to honor his memory as an outstanding New
Yorker. ... He absolutely deserves it. Rather than save himself, he
pushed his friend to safety and lost his life in the process."
Gao had been swimming with about 14 other students from the Bronx High
School of Science when they were swept into a jetty by rough waters.
The other students got out of the water, but according to Liu, before
Gao died, he pushed his friend to safety.
The group was swimming a day before lifeguards were scheduled to begin
full-time duty.
Copyright © 2005, Newsday, Inc.
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