Pocono News Section

Funeral Plans Set for Ice Rescue Heroes

Funeral Plans Set for Ice Rescue Heroes - Monday, February 23, 2009 at 4:45PM EST

Reported by: Mike Trim
Monday, Feb 23, 2009 @ 04:45pm EST
NORTH ABINGTON TWP., LACKAWANNA COUNTY- Funeral arrangements are being made for 2-men who died heroes in Lackawanna County.

55-year-old Mark Keene and his 36-year-old stepson Willard VanFleet, Jr. died Saturday in North Abington Township.

They helped rescue a 5-year-old girl from an ice-covered pond on Keene's property. The girl fell through the ice retrieving a ball she and a dog were playing with.

VanFleet went in and held the girl above water, but he never resurfaced. The child's mother also fell through the ice trying to help.

Keene ran a ladder to the pond to help get the mother and daughter to safety but he had a heart attack and died.

Mark Keen’s sister Beverly Gruen told Eyewitness News, "Both of them made a heroic effort to save this child and mother and they're fine. And because of them, this little girl will grow up to hopefully be a young lady and do all the fun things that people do."

Keene was also a volunteer for the Scott Township Volunteer Fire Department. The department will hold a memorial service on Sunday for both fallen heroes.