Shavarsh Karapetyan, a retired Armenian swimmer, was a world champion finswimmer and a 10-time record holder in the sport. On September 16, 1976, while jogging alongside Yerevan Lake with his brother Kamo, Karapetyan heard a loud noise and found out that a trolleybus had crashed into the reservoir. Despite the difficult conditions of dirty water and poor visibility, Karapetyan bravely dove in and used his legs to break open the back window of the trolleybus.
With great effort, he managed to save 46 people from the submerged trolleybus, 20 of whom survived. However, the combined effect of multiple lacerations from glass shards led to Karapetyan's hospitalization for 45 days, and he developed pneumonia and sepsis. Due to the damage to his lungs, he was unable to continue his career as a swimmer.
In 1985, Karapetyan was walking by a burning building when he heard the cries of people trapped inside. Without hesitation, he rushed in and began pulling people out, saving many lives.
Shavarsh Karapetyan's acts of bravery, both in the submerged trolleybus incident in 1976 and the burning building rescue in 1985, showcase remarkable courage and selflessness. His dedication to saving lives, even at the cost of his own health and career, is truly inspirational.
“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 came upon a burning building with trapped people inside. He rushed in and began pulling people out. He was badly burnt and had to once again be hospitalized.
Later in life, he moved to Moscow and founded a shoe company called “Second Breath”. He is still alive today and continues to run his business.