Babylon Gives Heroism Award To Cop Who Rescued Surfer

GILGO BEACH, NY — A Patchogue police officer who sprang into action to rescue a Huntington surfer at Gilgo Beach has been honored for his heroism.

Suffolk Police Officer Craig Capobianco was off duty and surfing July 28 when a fellow surfer got hurt. Mia Imbesi, 24, was surfing nearby when she took a nose-dive into a wave. Looking pale when she resurfaced, Imbesi told Capobianco she was hurt and needed help.

Imbesi said when she first fell, she didn't feel any pain. It wasn't until she climbed back on to her board that she realized something was wrong.

"As I was getting back on I noticed the damage," she said.

Capobianco was about 30 meters away when she cried out for help.

"Immediately he just sprinted towards me," she said.

Capobianco, of Lake Grove, immediately became an emergency responder.

"As she resurfaced, she looked at me and immediately I knew something was wrong," Capobianco told Newsday.

He found that she had suffered a deep cut on her right leg. The fin on Imbesi's board had slashed her.

Imbesi was heavily bleeding, so Capobianco transported her on her surfboard and brought her toward the shore. As he neared the shoreline, he carried her to the beach where several bystanders helped to put pressure on her leg and stop the bleeding.

Imbesi was treated at a nearby hospital and received 54 stitches.

On Wednesday, Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer gave Capobianco a heroism award for his efforts.

"It’s very rarely presented, but we felt it was very important to recognize you for what you did that day," Schaffer said at the ceremony, according to Newsday.

On Friday, he was County Executive Steve Bellone and Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart recognized Capobianco, as well.

Hart praised Capobianco, saying officers feel a responsibility to "protect and serve" even when off duty.

"Such was the case a couple weeks ago when 5th Precinct Officer Craig Capobianco was surfing on his day off at Gilgo Beach," she said.