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A retired police officer, Paul Pinsdorf, is being celebrated as a hero after rescuing a woman and her five-month-old baby from the East River in Queens on Sunday. The incident occurred at Hermon MacNeal Park in College Point, where Pinsdorf was volunteering for a Halloween parade. Witnesses saw the woman walking into the river with her baby, prompting bystanders to shout for help.
Pinsdorf, a former officer with 20 years of service, quickly assessed the situation and jumped into the river to save the mother and child. "I saw the woman in the water with the baby. We called 911. I went in the water, she resisted me—her mind was lost," Pinsdorf told ABC7NY. He managed to pull them both to safety despite the woman's resistance.
Kevin O'Donnell, another retired officer who was present, described Pinsdorf's actions as heroic. "Paul is a hero. He was the one who went in and grabbed her," O'Donnell said. The woman and her baby were taken to North Shore University Hospital and New York Presbyterian Hospital, respectively, and are in stable condition.
Authorities suspect the woman intended to harm herself and her child, but the exact circumstances remain unclear. The quick response from Pinsdorf and the subsequent arrival of first responders ensured the safety of both the mother and her baby.
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