The Town of Oyster Bay honored two 11-year-old heroes and an FDNY fire chief for their efforts in saving a father and son from the strong current in the Long Island Sound.
Earlier this summer, a 44-year-old Nassau man took his son and two of his friends out for a day of fishing on the Sound. The day took a frightening turn when the man's son went into the water for a swim, but soon started drifting. His father then went into the water after his son, but he too started drifting.
The two remaining boys on board, Daniel Roper and Peter Liotta Jr., threw a rope to their friend and got him back on the boat. They then called for help on the radio, which prompted a response from boater and FDNY Chief Jake Lemonda.
Lemonda, along with his wife Ann and daughter Elizabeth, assisted in getting the man to safety. The bay constables and the Oyster Bay Fire Company also assisted.
The heroes were honored at Theodore Roosevelt Park Tuesday morning.
The Oyster Bay Marine Bureau says the incident should serve as another reminder of the importance of wearing a life jacket when boating.