Nesconset father and son recognized for rescuing pair in Gibbs Pond
John Fils-Aime, second from left, and his son Bradley Fils-Aime, of Nesconset, were recognized during a Feb. 11 Smithtown board of education meeting for rescuing two people who had fallen through the ice at Gibbs Pond. They are pictured here with board president Matthew Gribbin, left, and Smithtown Superintendent Mark Secaur, right. Credit: Smithtown Central School Distric
A Nesconset father and son were recently recognized for keeping their cool during an icy situation.
John Fils-Aime and his son Bradley, a senior at Smithtown High School East, helped rescue another father and son who had fallen through the ice at Gibbs Pond, which borders their property, and were stuck there for nearly 30 minutes during the Jan. 25 snowstorm.
The incident unfolded when Bradley, 17, heard cries for help coming from the roughly 3-acre pond after opening his bedroom window while playing video games. He immediately called for his father, an FDNY lieutenant, and together they raced to the pond while Bradley’s mother, Erlande, called 911.
“Initially, I assumed it was part of my game, but something about it piqued my curiosity, prompting me to look out the window,” Bradley said of the cries. “As I gazed toward the lake, I noticed a figure on the ice. I squinted and realized the individual was signaling for help.”
When they arrived, they saw a father and his 12-year-old son, who had managed to get out of the water but were stranded on the ice. They instructed the boy to crawl toward a pier extending into the pond, where they reached him with help from a passing Town of Smithtown park ranger, John Fils-Aime said.
Shortly after, the Nesconset Fire Department arrived and firefighters rescued the father using a ladder. Both were taken to Stony Brook University Hospital and treated for hypothermia, department officials said.
“The dad had so much waterlogged gear that we weren’t able to lift him onto the pier,” John Fils-Aime recalled. “We didn’t want him to try to walk around, because the ice was breaking in spots, so we kept him there and waited for the fire department.”
Nesconset Fire Chief Daniel Madden praised the teen and his father for their efforts helping the pair in distress, whom authorities did not publicly identify.
“They both acted very quickly and certainly saved their lives for sure,” Madden said.
The duo received official commendations for their “selfless act of courage” at a February meeting of the Smithtown Central School District Board of Education. Smithtown Superintendent Mark Secaur also commended the father and son for their quick thinking.
“Their selfless act of courage likely saved the lives of two people and serves as a great reminder of what it means to be a Good Samaritan and neighbor,” Secaur said.
Nominate a Long Islander who goes above and beyond or serves as an inspiration to their community. Send details and photograph to Michael Ebert, michael.ebert@newsday.com (photos should be high-resolution). Photos may be used in other publications affiliated with Newsday.
Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.
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