Smithtown, NY - August 5, 2013 - On his first day of summer vacation, Ryan Mathie of Smithtown became a hero when he rescued two drowning swimmers at Robert Moses State Park, when there was no lifeguard on duty at that section of the beach. After hearing that the swimmers were in distress, Ryan raced into the freezing water and identified himself as an off-duty lifeguard and pulled the first swimmer to safety and then went after the second person who was farther out in the water. Although she was unconscious by the time he found her, he was able to get her back to shore where she was air-lifted to the hospital. Both swimmers are now fine due to the heroic efforts of Ryan and the New York State Park Police, who assisted and coordinated the medical personnel.
Legislators Nowick and Kennedy invited Ryan to the Legislature to present him with a proclamation in recognition of his brave actions. “Ryan is an exemplary young man, whom I applaud for his selfless efforts he has put forth in every aspect of his life. He is a role model for all of our community and has set the standards quite high for our young people to emulate. I wish him continued success and look forward to watching him over the years to come,” said Legislator Kennedy. According to Legislator Nowick, “Ryan is an amazing young man who wouldn’t hesitate to help another person. His actions are indicative of the type of person he is - an Eagle Scout and in addition to his summer job, he volunteers weekly with Big Brothers/Big Sisters.” “Just the week before he spent volunteering in Moore, Oklahoma helping those who were impacted by the recent tornado,” Nowick added.
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Contact: Susan E. Eckert
Phone: 631-854-3900