Dramatic video shows a New Jersey cop jumping into frigid waters to save an 11-year-old boy who fell through ice into the middle of a frozen pond.
The unidentified boy wandered out about 75 yards across the frozen Franklin Lake in West Long Branch on Monday afternoon when the ice suddenly cracked — dropping him into frozen four-feet-deep waters, NBC New York reported.
Dramatic police body cam footage captured local police officer Dave Brosonski jumping into the pond without hesitation and using his knees to break through the ice.
“He was panicked, he was yelling he couldn’t feel his feet or arms. I just told him I’m on my way, everything’s gonna be alright,” Brosonski said.
“When you’re out there, it doesn’t matter how old or young you are, it doesn’t matter the level of experience you have with swimming: When you’re in ice cold water, you have minutes before hypothermia sets in.”
Once the boy was pulled to safety he was examined by first responders and taken to a local hospital, where he is expected to make a full recovery.
The lake was coated in about three inches of ice, but recent warmer weather melted some of it.
It was not immediately clear why the boy decided to walk across the lake, however, police said the incident should serve as a warning against wandering out into a frozen body of water.
While West Long Branch Police Chief Marlowe Botti praised Brosonski’s quick response for saving the boy’s life, Brosonski said he was not having any “hero” talk.
“I feel it was my job. I would’ve gone in no matter what, for anyone, whether I was working or not,” Brosonski said. “I’m just happy that I was the one there.”
