Scotia, N.Y. (News10) – A 14-year-old is being called a hero by the Scotia Police chief Wednesday after the young man jumped into Collins Lake to save a man who almost drowned.
Meka Boncie-Machin was hanging out with friends Tuesday afternoon getting ready to fish when they saw a man jump into the lake. Swimming hasn’t been allowed there in years.
Police say the 34-year-old man began struggling about 150 feet away from shore, so his mother jumped in to try to help him.
Boncie-Machin says she started calling for help because she couldn’t swim. His friends called 9-1-1, and he jumped in to rescue both of them.
The man, who police haven’t identified, was pulled to shore by Boncie-Machin and eventually helped by his friends and first responders.
The 34-year-old was unconscious when he was taken out of the lake. Paramedics performed C-P-R and were eventually able to get a pulse back.
As of Wednesday night, the man is at Ellis Hospital in a coma.