Haverstraw officer, off-duty EMT reunite after dramatic Hudson River rescue

Haverstraw police and a bystander rushed in after spotting the 52-year-old man about 100 feet from shore.

Blaise Gomez

Aug 11, 2025, 12:38 PM

Updated yesterday

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A Haverstraw police officer and an off-duty EMT are being hailed as heroes after pulling a 52-year-old man from the Hudson River in a daring rescue caught on camera at Emeline Park.
Exclusive witness video shows Officer Matthew Mancuso plunging into the water in full uniform Friday evening, at approximately 7 p.m., after a 911 call reported a swimmer in distress about 100 feet from shore.
“When I found him, he was floating. He was unresponsive and we were able to bring him back,” Mancuso told News 12.
Off-duty EMT Stephanie Torres, from Haverstraw, was at the park with her 9-year-old son when she heard screams and ran into the water to help.
“Everything was just instinctual training,” Torres said.
The two, both former lifeguards who had never met before, worked side-by-side with a third officer, Cassandra Marrero, to bring the man to the rocky shoreline.
Torres began CPR while keeping her son calm as he watched the rescue unfold.
“He yelled ‘Mom!’ and I told him, ‘I’m OK, he’s gonna be OK — just stay where I can see you,’” she said.
Police say the man is expected to survive, thanks to their quick actions.
“Both of my sons think I’m a hero. Not just with what I do for work, but as a mom in general,” Torres said.
The community also sees Torres and Mancuso as heroes — but the duo says they were just in the right place at the right time.
“We’re happy to help and serve our community and this is just what we do every day,” said Mancuso.