Politics & Government
Town Honors Local Teen Who Saved Stranded Kayakers
Lindenhurst teen's quick actions helped rescue two overturned in the bay this summer.
The Town of Babylon officially honored Lindenhurst Resident Gem Hattat, a 19-year-old whose keen sense of hearing and quick actions helped save a couple of stranded kayakers earlier this summer.
Hattat said he heard what sounded like a person or persons calling for help, but could not see anybody in the waters to the south of his location at the Lindenhurst Village Marina, the United States Coast Guard said on August 21.
“I wasn’t sure exactly what I had heard,” said Hattat. “But I knew that if I was in distress and yelling for help, I would hope that someone on shore would risk looking foolish and just make the phone call.”
Hattat placed a 911 call at 8:54 p.m., bringing Suffolk County Police and the U.S. Coast Guard from Station Fire Island to the scene.
The Coast Guard and Suffolk County Marine Police launched their boats into the water upon hearing the distress call. The marine police found two kayakers that had fallen from their boat into the water.
The pair were lifted from the bay and brought to safety.
Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer presented Hattat with a Heroism Award and Lindenhurst Village Mayor Thomas Brennan presented him with an official proclamation for his good deed.
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