A good Samaritan leapt into the Hudson River off Manhattan early Saturday morning, only to find himself needing a rescue as well, according to officials.
At around 9:20 a.m., a 24-year-old man entered the river at West 43rd and 12th Avenue. A 50-year-old witness urged him to jump in and help, prompting his decision, officers noted.
An FDNY representative shared that the rescue swimmers were dispatched right away. One was lowered into the water with special gear and managed to reach one of the men and secure a ladder for him.
The second rescue swimmer successfully pulled the Samaritan to safety, according to reports.
Police sources indicated that the young man, who had jumped in for a mental health evaluation, was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital. Meanwhile, the good Samaritan received treatment for minor injuries on-site.
Christopher Reddick, a 37-year-old from Canton, New Jersey, witnessed the incident. He described seeing the first man plunge into the water, with the second man following closely behind.
“He was brave,” Reddick remarked about the good Samaritan. “He just jumped in there to save him.”
Reddick added that the man who jumped in knew how to navigate the water, mentioning that two individuals in wetsuits subsequently joined the rescue effort.
