The Daily News of Newburyport
DERRY, N.H. — Cody Shuman and Cody Morin, both 12, have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.
The boys fell into the icy waters at Hood Pond while playing hockey Thursday.
It was an emotional day at the Derry fire station yesterday as the two boys and their families visited to thank firefighters for their lifesaving efforts.
”I appreciate all of you, really,” Cody Shuman’s mom Michelle Silva told a group of Derry firefighters and paramedics.
The families both wrote letters thanking the firefighters for their lifesaving efforts.
Cody Morin’s mother is deaf, so he read her letter of thanks aloud for her.
”With Thanksgiving and the holidays around the corner, we are grateful that we can enjoy the season with our son and his friend is able to celebrate the holidays with his family as well,” Cody Morin read.
The boys, too, expressed their gratitude.
”I am very grateful that me and my friend are alive because of you guys,” Cody Shuman said.
Other family members also gave thanks to firefighters and paramedics.
Firefighters and family members said the rescue was a combination of fate and teamwork.
Derry resident Daniel Williams, 23, was playing basketball at the park when he heard the children scream.
Silva said Williams’ presence at the park was part of what led to the boys’ rescue.
He’s the one who called 911.
Firefighters were nearby, checking out a reported illegal burn, Battalion Chief Jack Webb said. That cut the response time.
”It was luck they were there,” Webb said.
When firefighters got the call, everyone acted quickly.
The boys were playing ice hockey on the rink, but eventually moved out onto the thin ice of the pond.
When a puck skittered far out onto the ice, the boys went after it — and fell through the thin ice.
Firefighter James Hoffman went in, dressed in an ice rescue suit, to get the boys. Yesterday, he said he knew he had to act fast.
”It was all about getting suited up and getting to them as fast as possible,” he said.
The boys were about 130 feet from shore when they broke through, Webb said.
”The stars were aligned for you guys that night,” firefighter Anthony DeRosa told the two boys.
It was nice to be thanked, Hoffman said, but he was just doing his job.
Everyone involved played their part, fire Lt. Richard Payne said.
”It really was a total team effort,” he said.
The two boys recounted their tale to firefighters yesterday.
It seemed safe at first, they said, but then the ice started to give way and the boys went in.
”It felt cold, very, very cold,” Cody Morin said.
Cody Shuman isn’t a strong swimmer, but he managed to keep his head above water.
The boys are both students at Gilbert H. Hood Middle School.
After being pulled from the pond, the two were taken to Parkland Medical Center to be treated for severe hypothermia.
They were released later Thursday evening and just missed one day of school.
They were back in class yesterday, but detoured on their way home to thank their rescuers.
The families are trying to track down Williams so they can thank him as well, Silva said.
”Thank God you guys were there,” she told firefighters.
Copyright 2014 The Daily News of Newburyport
All Rights Reserved