Jon Schmidt

Shavarsh Karapetyan, a retired Armenian swimmer, was involved in a remarkable incident in 1976. After completing a 26 km (16 mile) run, he heard a loud crash and discovered that a trolleybus had lost control and fallen into a reservoir. The trolleybus had sunk to a depth of 10 meters (33 ft), approximately 25 meters (82 ft) from the shore. Despite the challenging conditions of sewage-infested waters and poor visibility due to silt, Karapetyan courageously dived in and used his legs to kick open the back window of the trolleybus. With incredible determination, he managed to rescue 46 out of the 92 passengers onboard, saving the lives of 20 individuals. However, the cold water and the glass shards caused multiple lacerations, leading Karapetyan to be hospitalized for 45 days. He faced additional complications such as pneumonia and sepsis. Although he eventually recovered, the damage to his lungs prevented him from continuing his successful career as a swimmer. "I knew that I could only save so many lives, I was afraid to make a mistake. It was so dark down there that I could barely see anything. One of my dives, I accidentally grabbed a seat instead of a passenger. I could have saved a life instead. That seat still haunts me in my nightmares," he said. In 1985, Karapetyan encountered a blazing building where several individuals were trapped. Without hesitation, he courageously entered the building and commenced rescuing the people inside. Unfortunately, he suffered severe burns during the rescue operation and required hospitalization once again. During his later years, Karapetyan relocated to Moscow and established a shoe company named "Second Breath." Remarkably, he is alive to this day and actively manages his business.