A 14-year-old girl dove into the frigid Delaware River in suburban Philadelphia and saved a nine-year-old boy from drowning this holiday weekend, police say.
Nylah Bennett was at a basketball court near the Burlington Public Boat Ramp on Friday afternoon when she heard the boy’s distant cries for help.
She ran to the river to discover the boy had fallen into the water and was struggling to survive, Fox 29 reported.
“The boy had slipped off at the end of the ramp and all I could see was his hands out of the water,” the teen told Philly’s ABC affiliate. “That’s when I knew he was drowning. I don’t know what was going through my head I just jumped in the water.”
Bennett went in fully clothed and grabbed the boy until a passing boater pulled them both to safety.
Both were at risk for hypothermia as the river was reported to be at only 57 degrees this weekend. There was also a river current of two miles per hour.
“I was just telling him to calm down and that it’s all right because I’m here now,” Bennett said.
Burlington is a Delaware River community about halfway between Philadelphia and Trenton, New Jersey.
Andrea Milos, the girl’s mother, told reporters she was glad she got her daughter swimming lessons from a young age.
“I’m happy to know both kids came home safe,” the mom said. “Not just her seeing something sad and a tragic Memorial Day weekend.”
The Burlington Police Department issued a statement commending the teen for her bravery and thanking the boater, saying the teen had no fear for her own safety.
As it turns out, Bennett has been preparing for her black belt test at a local Karate academy. She also may have found another calling as a result of the rescue.
She told reporters she wants to learn CPR and become a lifeguard next summer to help save even more lives.
Lowell Cauffiel is the best-selling author of Below the Line and nine other crime novels and nonfiction titles. See lowellcauffiel.com for more.
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