Babylon Man Thanks Officers Who Saved His Life

BABYLON, NY - A Babylon man thanked the local officers who helped save his life when his boat overturned a few months back.

Last November, Greg Antolini was returning from a fishing trip when he was thrown overboard in 10-foot breaking waves in the Fire Island Inlet.

Marine Bureau Officer Erik Johnson, who was patrolling the oceanfront, saw the hull of the boat in the inlet and notified dispatch.

Aviation Officers John Carey and Sal Garcia then both responded to the scene.

They found the overturned boat and Antolini, who was clinging to a life jacket in the 50-degree water.

The police helicopter hovered nearby and Aviation officers guided Lieutenant Edward Mulroy and Sergeant John Vahey, aboard Marine Charlie, to Antolini.

Antolini was treated for hypothermia, but otherwise made it out alive.

"My first reaction when I went in the water was 'oh my god I'm going to drown in the Fire Island Inlet, some place I've been to a thousand plus times,'" he said. "When I saw the helicopter I couldn't believe it. They came out on a day they shouldn't have, they were some place they didn't need to be, they went over and above."

So now, he wanted to take the chance to reach out to the department asking to thank those involved in his rescue.

"Now my 4 kids get to see me everyday because of it and I just can't thank them enough," Antolini said.

During the conference in Yaphank on Monday morning, Suffolk police played the video of Antolini's rescue.

Watch the full video of the dramatic rescue below:

Video courtesy of Suffolk Police

Main photo: screenshot/video