Manalapan Resident Thanked For Saving Middletown Dog

MANALAPAN, NJ — A Manalapan resident who works as a Middletown police officer was honored earlier this week for jumping into a frozen creek and rescuing a drowning dog.

Patrolman Nick Manochio of Manalapan was recognized by the Middletown Township Committee Monday night as the officer who jumped into a frozen creek in Lincroft on the night of Jan. 3 and heroically saved a dog that had fallen through the ice. That's Manochio, second from right, above.

Manochio received a Life-Saving Award from Middletown Mayor Stephanie Murray and was publicly thanked by the Sullivan family for saving their dog, Brody.

Manochio, 31, is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, where he received the Good Conduct Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Sea Service Deployment ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Certificate of Commendation and Meritorious Mast. He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Phoenix in Organization Security and Management.

The day of the dog rescue, Patch interviewed a man who witnessed the entire incident: Stephen Triano was outside his home on Leedsville Drive in Lincroft when he heard howling coming from the creek that runs behind his house. He ran down the hill to the creek and that's when he saw Brody, an older dog, floundering in the swiftly moving creek, which was partially frozen. The creek is mostly shallow, but that particular spot is a few feet deep.

"It really sounded like a cry for help," said Triano, who said he's often been nervous a dog or kid would tumble into the creek.

The dog's owner was nearby and she had already called 911. Triano said he watched as Manochio immediately jumped into the frozen creek and pulled the dog out.

Both officer and dog were OK.

Coincidentally, Manochio is the same officer who helped a Middletown woman deliver her baby in the parking lot of the Comfort Inn on Rt. 35 last January, 2017. Read that story: Middletown Police Deliver Baby in Parking Lot

From left: Corporal Ryan Riffert, mother Kristen Erickson and Patrolman Nicholas Manochio at the hospital after the dramatic birth along Highway 35 in January 2017.