EVANS, N.Y. -- Police officers who rescued a girl from the water at Wendt Beach Park Thursday are speaking out about their efforts.
Officers were visibly shaken as they re-lived the moments that led to the rescue of an 11-year-old girl, and the death of her mother. Lieutenant Bradley DiMartino said when he was called to the scene, he spotted the girl, stripped off his clothes and jumped into the water. DeMartino describes himself as a strong swimmer but said he kept getting slammed down by the waves. Once he got the girl, he said he felt his life was in trouble as well.
"I really thought I was done. I was able to grab her arm, and the wave was able to help us actually, because she was able to grab her arm right around my neck, which caused another problem because I have nothing in my tank and she is pulling me down," said DiMartino.
DeMartino said he was able to hand the girl off to Officer Jeffrey DeVinney, who brought her to shore. They said they never saw the girl's mother, Mary Creighton, 51, who initially went in to rescue her daughter. DeMartino said Creighton is the hero in this story, and that she is probably the reason that her daughter stayed afloat as long as she did.