NEW QUINCY, MA — People in the area are calling a man who jumped into freezing water over the weekend to save a child from drowning a hero. A quiet fishing trip quickly turned into a mission to save lives for Thomas Concilio, who was at Marina Bay with his wife on Sunday afternoon and saw a scene of chaos.
As Concilio set his line on the dock, he saw a dad and his little boy having a hard time by the water. “I could see them squabbling,” Concilio remembered. “The dad tried to stop his kid from jumping in, but when the kid did, the dad screamed for help.” That’s when Concilio, who is in the National Guard, didn’t think twice.
It was clear that the father was upset. “I could hear the fear in his voice,” Concilio said. “Can he swim?” was the first question that came to mind. The father’s answer made it clear what he thought: “No.”
Concilio jumped into the 52-degree water right away to save the boy who was buried because he knew that every second was important. “When I jumped in, I grabbed him, and we fought for a while,” Concilio said. It was very dangerous for the boy, who was fighting and almost completely submerged.
He kept his cool and pulled the boy toward a chain that ran along the dock. Concilio said, “I got him to hold the chain.” “I climbed the ladder, and we were able to get him out.” By the time Concilio got back to the dock, the Quincy Fire Department was already there and ready to jump in and help.
Chris Barry, a fire lieutenant in Quincy, said that Concilio’s quick action made all the difference in the world. “There is very little difference between what is a rescue and what is a recovery,” Barry said. “Having someone step in like he did gave us valuable time.”
Even though Concilio’s bravery stopped a tragedy, Lt. Barry was quick to stress how important it is to know your boundaries in an emergency. Barry said, “We always tell people to call for help first.” If you can, throw something floatable to the person who needs help. If you’re near a dock, try to get to them without getting hurt. You should only go in the water if you have to. It’s very dangerous.
As summer approaches and families head to the water in droves, the rescue brings attention to the dangers that come with water sports. Lt. Barry went over some important water safety rules with everyone: Personal floatation devices (PFDs) should always be worn, swimming should only be done in places with lifeguards, and you should never swim alone.
Even though everything turned out well, Concilio is politely declining any praise, saying that he just did what he did without thought. He said, “I did what anyone would do.” “I couldn’t stand by while a kid got in trouble.” Even so, his brave actions show how one person can make a difference when they are in danger.
The hard time is over for the Concilio family, but it will never be forgotten. “We are just thankful that the child is safe and that things did not get worse,” Concilio said. It’s a lesson that ordinary people can make a huge difference in times of trouble.
People are still going outside because it’s warm, but experts say that accidents like this are a sobering reminder of how dangerous the water can be. The quick reaction of the Quincy Fire Department and Concilio’s quick action show how important it is to have professional training and be ready to help when needed.
People have praised the Concilio family for what they did, but Thomas Concilio, who is really the hero, just says he’s glad to have helped. He said, “It’s just something we do for each other.”
“This article was written by Mathew Owen. AI tools were used lightly for grammar and formatting, but the ideas, words, and edits are all mine.”
