Dramatic moments on The Pond in Central Park after seven teenagers fall through the ice and two passersby spring into action. NY1's Lori Chung has the story.
A teenager plucked from the bitter cold waters of Central Park's lower pond was rushed to the hospital Monday night — one of seven kids who fell through the ice after what witnesses describe as goofing around.
"He pointed out this group of kids dancing on the ice and they went through in the middle of the pond," said witness Bennett Jonas.
Jonas, was still shivering during an interview with NY1 after a daring rescue, but he did get a change of dry clothes from arriving fire crews after he jumped into the icy waters himself when he saw the victims struggling.
"I went into the water, he followed me and the first two kids, jumped on top of me and I had to get them off," Jonas said.
"I think they all just panicked a little bit," said Ethan Turnbull. "They were like overwhelmed, it was so absolutely freezing cold"
Working as a team Jonas and Turnbull did their best to pull the kids to safety until emergency crews arrived.
"He was just passing the kids at the end and I was just throwing them up and over the fence," Turnbull said.
"We dispatched units, they got here within two minutes and when they got here they encountered about seven people coming out of the water, they immediately rendered first aid," said Deputy Chief John Schof.
The victims range in age from 15 to 16 years old all making it to safety after a situation that could have ended much worse.
"Some of those kids would have gone under the water if we didn't go in so God was looking out for them and was looking out for me and I was in this park for a reason tonight," said Jonas.
The victims treated for hypothermia, all expected to be ok. Now, inside the park there are signs warning of thin ice and after a couple of day of unseasonably warm temperatures in the city, this incident is a good reminder to stay off the ice.