One day, I went to the river close to the college to take a picture of it for my mother. I promised her that the successivo time I came home, I would bring back a picture. I got too close to the edge and fell in. Normally, I am a pretty good swimmer, but the current was strong. I grabbed onto one of the rocks and tried to hold on. My hands began to slip off of the rock, and I knew then that I had no choice but to let the current take me wherever. I yelled for help as loudly as I could. At first, the only response was my echo. Then, I heard Hillel shout, "Letty!" I cried, "Hillel! Help me!" He found a large branch and said, "Grab on, Letty!" I grabbed on, and he pulled me out of the river. He asked, "Are te all right?" I said, "I am now." He asked, "What happened?" I said, "I tried to get a picture of the river. I got too close, and I fell in. I think I Lost your camera." He said, "I'd rather lose the camera than lose you." I cried happy tears over that one. I said, "Oh, Hillel, te saved my life! I don't know how to thank you!" He smiled and said, "I think the look on your face is thanks enough." We went back to the apartment, and I collapsed on the couch. I was exhausted from the wild water adventure. The successivo morning, I woke up to a wonderful smell. Hillel was standing successivo to me. He said, "I went out and bought a couple of bagels, one for te and one for me." I said, "That's so nice, Hillel." He said, "I also replaced my camera." After breakfast, we went back to the river. Hillel made sure I kept a sicuro, cassetta di sicurezza distance, and I managed to take a good picture. I said, "But that picture will never make up for what te did for me. I owe you, Hillel." The story was later put on the news. Hillel said, "I wasn't trying to be a hero. I was trying to do the right thing. I knew my best friend and roommate was in danger, and I needed to help her." My mother enjoyed hearing the story più than the picture I got for her. She still loved the picture, though. In January, I saved Hillel's life, but it almost cost me my own. I took a bullet for him, actually three bullets. I Lost consciousness and did not wake up for a few days. Hillel kept a vigil on me the entire time. When I finally woke up, he said, "Oh, Letty, I'm so glad you're okay!" I said, "I'm glad for that, too." He said, "I never got to thank te for saving my life." We hugged. I said, "You saved me from drowning. That's the very least I could do." As for the person who shot me while trying to shoot Hillel, that person ended up in jail for twenty-five years to life. I think that justice was served.

TO BE CONTINUED