A heartwarming rescue story has emerged, highlighting the bravery of a fisherman and his son who saved a man swept out to sea nearly 2 miles from a New York City beach.
The courageous duo pulled the man from the waters off Middletown Township, New Jersey, located in northern Monmouth County, according to the Middletown Township Police Department.
The man recounted to officers that he believed he entered the water somewhere in Queens, a borough of New York City, around 11 p.m. ET on Sunday. Deputy Police Chief Paul Bailey shared this information with USA TODAY on Wednesday.
Middletown Township is situated about 25 miles south of New York City.
The rescued man shared with the police that he had been treading water for approximately 10 hours, mostly in the dark, before he was finally saved.
New York Governor Declares State of Emergency
During this dramatic rescue, New York was experiencing severe conditions as Governor Hochul declared a state of emergency due to relentless storms pounding the region.
Fisherman and Son to the Rescue
Police received a call about the daring rescue around 9 a.m. Monday. A man had been pulled from the waters between Sandy Hook, NJ, and New York City.
The man was first spotted by a commercial fisherman and his son approximately 2 miles from the Sandy Hook shoreline, Deputy Chief Bailey reported.
Upon noticing the swimmer in distress, the fisherman and his son quickly brought him aboard their boat, provided necessary aid, and took him safely to the Monmouth Cove Marina in Port Monmouth.
Who Was Rescued from the Sea?
When officers reached the marina, they found the victim, who identified himself as 34-year-old Pete Ordane, from New York City.
Ordane explained to the officers that he entered the water in New York City to cool off but was unexpectedly pulled out to sea by the tide.
Man Declines Medical Treatment
Emergency crews evaluated Ordane upon his arrival at the marina and determined he was in good condition. Ordane chose to decline further medical treatment.
Officers provided him with a fresh set of dry clothes and some food before he arranged his transportation from the area.
Police noted the fisherman and his son reside in the Port Monmouth section of Middletown and expressed their wish to remain anonymous.
Police Chief R. Craig Weber expressed gratitude: “We are thankful to the alert fishermen for rescuing Mr. Ordane and saving his life. This serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by rip currents and the importance of not swimming alone or at unguarded beaches. This incident could easily have ended very tragically.”
