Syracuse (WSYR-TV) -- A Syracuse teenager was moments away from hypothermia when rescuers saved him from the Oswego Harbor on Monday.
Eighteen-year-old Aaron Matthews tells NewsChannel 9 he was walking along the breakwall in the Oswego Harbor, near the lighthouse, when he was swept into the water.
Monday wasn’t the first time Matthews took a stroll out on the breakwall, and each time he does, he makes sure to protect his cell phone. He says he puts it in a simple sandwich bag and then sticks it in his pocket – a practice that likely saved his life.
“On a nice day it’s beautiful. It’s just very relaxing. You see all the colors and the sky change,” Matthews explained.
But venturing out on the breakwall to catch a sunset can come at a cost.
"I got splashed a few times, thought nothing of it. Kept going and I got splashed right off the rock, right into the harbor,” Matthews said.
He says he was able to swim back to the wall, but in 36 degree water he says he couldn’t feel his fingers and he was starting to shake and was having difficulty breathing.
And though in a bit of shock, Matthews was able to keep his wits and remembered his cell phone tucked away in his pocket. That’s when Matthews dialed 911.
"All I was doing was yelling and saying I need help. I'm 50 feet away from Oswego Harbor Lighthouse. I need help right away. As fast as you can, I'm freezing," he said.
Rescue crews searched the length of the wall and within 10 minutes tracked down Matthews.
“He was just a couple of minutes way from losing all of his body functions and stuff and being able to ambulate at all,” said Oswego Fire Chief Jeff McCrobie.
Matthews’ initial struggles were captured by NewsChannel 9 viewer Katherine Lust (photos attached), who just happened to be at the park with her camera. A scene Matthews would soon have to explain to his mom back home in Syracuse.
“I called my mom and I told her I was in the hospital and she was like, ‘What?’”
Chief McCrobie hopes it’s a lesson learned – Don’t let your curiosity get the best of you.
“A very, very dangerous thing to do and I don't realize if this man knows how lucky he is,” Chief McCrobie said.
The only visible scars of Matthews’ ordeal are a few scratches from the rocks, otherwise, he's recovered just fine.
