West Point cadet sacrifices life to save swimmer

A West Point cadet sacrificed his life saving another swimmer at a Hamptons beach. Southampton Village Police tell News 12 that the incident happened Friday afternoon at Coopers Beach in Southampton.

News 12 Staff

Jun 30, 2016, 12:58 AM

Updated 2,863 days ago

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West Point cadet sacrifices life to save swimmer
A West Point cadet sacrificed his life saving another swimmer at a Hamptons beach.
Southampton Village Police tell News 12 that the incident happened Friday afternoon at Coopers Beach in Southampton.
West Point cadet Tom Surdyke, 18, of St. Louis, was rescuing another swimmer caught in a rip current when he nearly drowned. He was taken to Southampton hospital and then transferred to Stony Brook.
Police say the swimmer who was rescued is OK.
Surdyke's organs will be donated.
The Eagle Scout had just finished his first year at West Point. News 12 has been told that Surdyke was on vacation in the Hamptons with another cadet before reporting back for field training. He would have turned 19 on July 4.


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