A good Samaritan braved frigid waters to help save a 22-year-old woman from drowning in a New Jersey river — while putting his own life on the line.
WABC“I’m not sure how much longer they could have stayed afloat,” Belleville Police Lt. John McAloon told the Post.
The man had dove into the Passaic River to helped the woman, who was stranded on her sinking car after crashing into the water from Route 21.
“She was able to get out through her back window and onto the back of her car,” McAloon said.
But, by the time he managed to swim through the freezing waters to her, the car had sunk.
The man struggled to keep her above water as the two drifted downstream.
“He had his arms wrapped around her, and she was going in and out of consciousness,” McAloon said.
Two Belleville police officers caught up to the two 100 yards later — and at least a minute in the water — and pulled the pair to safety.
By that point, the man was in distress as well, but without his help, the woman “more than likely” would have died, according to McAloon.
Both were taken to Clara Maass Medical Center, where they were treated for hypothermia.
