A teenager from East Haven is being called a hero and is being credited with helping to save a swimmer who nearly drowned.
For 14-year-old Davin Garamella a typical day at the beach in East Haven quickly turned into a trip he and his parents won’t soon forget.
“This was just an incredible act of human kindness. As Davin said, 'It’s like I really wasn’t thinking,’ because there’s no real thought to when you think from your heart,” said Shawn Polizzi Garamella, Davin’s mother.
On Sunday, Davin had been hanging out with family and friends when they noticed a man swimming in the Sound off of Morgan Avenue.
As the man was drifting in the water face down, Davin raced to check on him.
“He didn’t respond at all. So I flipped him over as fast as I could and just hauled him up in the sand so his face wasn’t inhaling more water,” said Davin.
After Davin and others called 911, firefighters rushed there to treat the unconscious man, who eventually came to.
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Emergency crews credit the success in large part to the heroics of Davin, which his parents also echo.
“It was an amazing community effort. But we are super proud of him,” said David Garamella, Davin’s father.
“I think anyone would have done it, the same thing and I was just there at the right time,” said Davin.
Soon the East Haven Fire Department is expected to honor Davin with a lifesaving award.
Though, for this humble teen who’s about to start ninth grade, the focus is the man he helped to rescue.
“I want to keep him in my thoughts and prayers, him and his family, and that he has a full recovery and all that,” said Davin.
