Politics & Government

Two Young Heroes Honored For Saving Three Lives

Two young lifeguards were honored for their rescue of three men last month at Reeves Beach.

A regular day at the beach turned into a life-or-death drama for two young lifeguards in Riverhead last month.

And on Tuesday, the heroes were honored by the Riverhead Town board for saving three lives.

According to Riverhead Recreation Department Superintendent Ray Coyne, the near disaster occurred last month, when a small boat overturned about 300 yards off the shore of Reeves Beach, on the Long Island Sound.

Lifeguards Charles Kollmer and Paul Iannacchino "dove right in the water," Coyne said. "They rescued three people who could not swim and brought them back to shore."

Coyne thanked the lifeguards for "savings people's lives and doing the job every day."

Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter issued proclamations to both young men.

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"Do you understand that three people would be alive, but for what you did? Do you understand what that means?" he asked.

"You can't describe it," Iannacchino said.

Coyne said while all three men had been wearing life jackets, they became distressed in the choppy water.

Both lifeguards, he said, "put their training to the test" and brought the men safely to shore.

Without their "quick and decisive actions, a more tragic outcome might have occurred."

The save was the second for Iannacchino, who also saved a life last year, Walter said.

Find out what's happening in Riverheadwith free, real-time updates from Patch.



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