ALBANY – The Kuttruf family of Putnam Valley has been presented the Liberty Medal, the State Senate’s highest honor, for saving a man who was riding an ATV that crashed through the ice on Lake Oscawana last January.
Senator Susan Serino presented the family with the award bestowed on individuals who have demonstrated exceptional, heroic, or humanitarian acts and achievements on behalf of their fellow New Yorkers.
“This heroic story could have had a very different outcome had it not been for the quick thinking of the Kuttrufs and their 14-year-old son, Zachary,” Serino said. “Zachary’s quick thinking and his family’s ability to work together with the first responders made all the difference in this dangerous situation.”
Serino said it is her hope that “their story of selflessness and their willingness to act in the face of danger can inspire other New Yorkers to come together and act in times of trouble.”
When Zachary, a sheriff’s cadet and Boy Scout, heard Brendan Foran’s cries for help, he flagged down first responders. Zachary and his parents, Jennifer and Bruce, attempted to pull Foran to safety, but the ice was unstable. His mother retrieved an extension cord from their home that was used to pull Foran out of the frigid water.
In the end, a deputy sheriff said who assisted in the rescue said most of the credit for the positive outcome belongs to Zachary for flagging him down and helping to coordinate the rescue effort.
