While fishing at Mulgrave Lake, Nova Scotia, on September 16, 1988, Robert Rueben Bennett rescued a man suffering from heart and lung problems who was stranded in a boat on the lake. Mr. Bennett saw the man slump down and immediately stripped off his clothing and entered the cold water. After battling the wind and waves for 2 kilometres, Mr. Bennett finally reached the boat and was able to row back to shore. Barefoot and shivering from the ordeal, Mr. Bennett then helped the man to walk 5 kilometres through the bush to the landing where the victim had his medication in his truck.