Tom Lee’s story remembered 94 years after river rescue
Poet Sebastian Carson performs a work honoring Tom Lee during a gathering at Beale Street Landing to honor the Memphis hero who rescued 32 people from the Mississippi River 94 years ago. The gathering on May 8, 2019, brought together his descendants with those who had a connection to some of the people he rescued in 1925. (Jim Weber/Daily Memphian)
The hero who rescued 32 people on the Mississippi River south of Memphis in 1925 has a simple story but a complex legacy. It includes descendants dedicated to making sure he is remembered and connections to those he rescued as well as those rescued by others.
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Carol Coletta Charmeal Neely Alexander Jim Strickland Leroy Hidinger Tom LeeBill Dries on demand
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Bill Dries
Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for more than 40 years.
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