Westfield Teacher Honored For Saving Drowning Woman At Beach

WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield's Roosevelt School teacher Matthew Kalafat was presented with the Carnegie Medal for heroism for saving a drowning woman at the Jersey Shore in 2016. The award was given by Superintendent Margaret Dolan on June 13.

Kalafat, who teaches English and journalism, was down the shore in Point Pleasant with his family on Sept. 25, 2016 when he plunged into the ocean to save a woman who was pulled under by the strong riptide.

"It was instinct over intellect – I jumped into the water," said Kalafat in a previous interview.

He had responded to his wife's terrified scream when noticing the body floating lifeless.

Kalafat jumped in and managed to bring the victim to shore as he himself struggled and went under after a "giant wave knocked me silly."

Bystander Scott McLaren, who had First Aid Squad training, started CPR on the victim, who was without a pulse. Kalafat and McLaren learned that although she was taken unconscious to the hospital, Dishita Pandya has since fully recovered.

The award is from the Pittsburgh-based Carnegie Hero Fund Commission,which was established in 1904 by industrialist/philanthropist Andrew Carnegie to acknowledge acts of selfless heroism performed by individuals who have risked their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving or attempting to save the lives of others.

“Out of 325-million Americans, the commission chose 18 heroes and your teacher is one of them,” Dolan told students as they applauded Kalafat.

• See Related: Westfield Teacher Saves Drowning Woman At Jersey Shore

(Photos via Westfield Schools: Westfield School Superintendent Margaret Dolan, Matthew Kalafat and Roosevelt Principal Mary Asfendis.)

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