A Rocky Point High School senior helped save the life of a classmate this past week after he was pulled into the rip current at Smith Point Beach in Shirley.

Haleigh Manger, 18, said students were able to the get the swimmer on a boogie board and brought him to shore. They then realized he wasn’t breathing.

“I'm just very glad that I stayed level headed and performed CPR affectively,” she told News 12. “I don't know what would have happened if I didn't know what to do…I think everyone should have to learn how to do CPR after experiencing that.”

She says she learned CPR last year in the physical therapy program at BOCES.

“I'm so glad that I paid attention in that course,” she said. “…I never expected myself to perform CPR. Learning it and performing it are two very different things.”

Police said Mastic Beach Rescue then transported the 18-year-old male swimmer to the hospital where he has since recovered.

Haleigh, who just graduated on Friday, says she will study physical therapy in college and hopes her story will inspire others to learn CPR.

The family of the swimmer who was rescued asked to remain anonymous. They said they are grateful to Haleigh and the group of students who helped save him. Without them, his mom says he would not have been able to walk at the graduation ceremony.