The quick thinking of a number of heroes saved the life of a 21-year-old who was found blue and not breathing at a popular Hudson Valley fishing site.

Just before 7 a.m. on Saturday, State Police from Roscoe responded to a 911 call for a water rescue at Junction Pool. Junction Pool is a popular fishing area near the Willowemoc and Beaverkill rivers in Sullivan County.

An investigation determined that a 21-year-old student from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse was fishing with members of his college fishing club when he fell into the water casting on the Beaverkill River.

William and Lori Fenner of Emerson, N.J. told police they saw the student go under and his hip waders quickly filled up with water.

The Fenners alerted other fishermen about a now unconscious man floated face down into Junction pool.

Because everyone was also wearing waders, they had to wait for the current to bring him around to shallower water before a rescue could be attempted in the 45 degree water, police say.

Once downstream far enough, the student was caught in the rapids and brought towards shore. However, no one on shore knew or attempted CPR.

When police arrived the found the 21-year-old blue, unresponsive and not breathing. Sergeant Commander Michael Schroeder, Trooper Andrew Digsby and Roscoe Fire Chief Keith Travers pulled him further onto land and rolled him over before starting rescue breathing and CPR efforts.

Soon, the student started expelling large amounts of water and started irregularly breathing on his own, police say. He was taken to Catskill Regional Medical Center where he finally regained consciousness. He is currently being treated for water inhalation and hypothermia.

The unnamed 21-year-old student is expected to make a full recovery.

Awful grades for local hospitals, tragedies, and a police standoff tops this week in Hudson Valley news.

 

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