Brothers awarded Carnegie Medal for ice rescue
FAIRFIELD — Two brothers were recently awarded the Carnegie Medal for helping an individual who fell through the ice into freezing water on Lake Mohegan in December 2019, according to police.
The Carnegie Hero Fund Commission announced on March 24 that 18 individuals, including Jonathan L. Goldfarb and Matthew Goldfarb, would receive the Carnegie Medal, awarded throughout the U.S. and Canada to those who put themselves in mortal danger to save, or try to save, the lives of others.
Commission Chair Mark Laskow said each award recipient, or their survivors, will also receive a financial grant.
The brothers were nominated by Fairfield police for their actions on Dec. 22, 2019.
It was just after 4 p.m. when the town’s emergency communications center got a 911 call about a person who tried to rescue his dog and was in distress in the waters of Lake Mohegan.
A 24-year-old man was walking his dog with his girlfriend when the dog ran onto the ice and fell into the lake. The man ran out after the dog.
Police said the man swam into deep water, becoming submerged multiple times and having difficulty getting back to shore because of the cold temperature of the water. His girlfriend shouted for help and went into the water to try to help him.
The man and his dog were about 100 feet from shore, in open water, struggling to stay above water.
That’s when brothers Jonathan Goldfarb — a 26-year-old physical therapist in Fairfield — and Matthew Goldfarb — a 30-year-old teacher in Howell, N.J. — were walking with family in the area and heard the cries for help.
The brothers ran to the area and saw the scene, immediately entering the lake without hesitation, knowing “their own safety and lives were at risk,” police said. The two were able to reach the man and his dog and pull them to safety.
“They entered the water and moved ice out of their path as they swam to the man,” said the press release from the Commission. “Jonathan Goldfarb grasped the man, and Matthew Goldfarb grasped the dog, and they swam back to shore and exited the water.”
The man was reported to have been in the freezing water for about 10 minutes. The Goldfarb brothers were in the water for about four minutes.
Once first responders got to the scene, they found the 24-year-old man exhibiting signs of severe hypothermia and rushed him to an area hospital, where he recovered. The man’s girlfriend was treated for minor signs of hypothermia.
The were treated for hypothermia, lacerations and contusions, the commission said in its press release.
“The actions of both Jonathan and Matthew Goldfarb represent an outstanding act of heroism,” police said. “The brave actions of these men, who risked their own lives to save another, were most deserving of recognition.”