My hero did not save me, but he saved someone very closeto me - my sister.

We were visiting my grandparents in Maine for a familyreunion. My dad has eight brothers and sisters, all married with families, so Ihad about 16 cousins hanging around. Since we were only a mile from the beach, weoften went there, even though the water was ice cold. My uncle Matt and some ofmy younger cousins went for a swim anyway, but they soon came back out as pale asthe inside of a potato.

There was a string of boulders at the end of thebeach leading to the ocean, which also overlook former President Bush's house.People always walk on these rocks, hopping from one to another. That was what wedid every year; it had grown into a family tradition. I was always in front,followed by my sister and then my dad. Uncle Toby helped the little kids over thegaps between the rocks. He was behind us with the younger kids when I jumped offa sandy rock and slipped, almost falling into a gap before I regained my balance.So I stepped away, and let my sister go. I made sure I told her that the rock wasslippery.

Suddenly I heard a scream, and when I looked back, I saw my dadholding my sister by the ankle. I couldn't see her head because she was hangingupside down in the gap. My dad pulled her out, held her like a baby, and ran downthe beach. She had a huge gash on her forehead.

My mom and I wentstraight home and waited for two hours. It seemed like an eternity before shecame back from the hospital. My sister had a bandage around her head, and wasvery dazed. She slept for the rest of the day and night. When she finally wokeup, it took her ten minutes to get out of bed because her head hurt so much. Shewould be all right, but it took her a long time before she was fullyrecovered.

My dad saved my sister's life. The fall had left herunconscious. She could have drowned if he hadn't been there. Now I appreciate howmy dad watches out for us. I used to think he didn't trust us, but now I knowhe's there because he cares. Thank you, Dad!