Rescuers Recognized for Heroism at Chicken Rock During Sherman Ceremony

By Cherry Dumaual

SHERMAN — Four individuals — three teenagers and one adult — were honored on Saturday, October 24, for their swift and courageous actions that saved three men from drowning at Chicken Rock on Candlewood Lake on August 15. Chicken Rock is a prominent 25- to 30-foot-high rock formation located at the southern tip of Green Island, near the Sherman-New Fairfield border.

The Candlewood Lake Authority (CLA), joined by State Rep. Patrick Callahan, Sherman First Selectman Don Lowe, and the Sherman Fire Department, recognized the four heroes during a ceremony at Sherman Charter Hall. CLA Marine Control Chief Nicholas Mellas recounted the near tragedy before Callahan presented each honoree with a citation.

A Summer Outing Turns into a Rescue

What began as a leisurely summer morning of boating on Candlewood Lake quickly turned into a life-threatening situation.

The Welling family of Westport was boating with the Nanos family on Candlewood Lake when three young men from another anchored boat entered the water and quickly found themselves in serious distress.

George Nanos, the adult rescuer, immediately jumped into the water with two life jackets and swam toward the struggling swimmers. Hannah Welling, who had recently completed lifeguard certification training at Staples High School in Westport, quickly followed.

Together with two bystanders from the victims’ boat, they managed to bring two of the three swimmers to the rocky shoreline about 15 yards away.

One of the swimmers was unresponsive and had no pulse. Welling immediately began administering CPR, directing a bystander to assist with rescue breathing. After approximately two minutes, the victim’s pulse was restored.

Hannah said it was the first time she had performed CPR in a real-life emergency. Her mother expressed her pride, saying, “Hannah stepped up in a big way.”

Meanwhile, Jaden Vazquez and Keen Cercy, eighth graders at Brunswick School in Greenwich, were boating nearby when they heard screams for help. They provided a life jacket to a struggling swimmer and brought the third victim aboard their boat.

The CLA Marine Patrol and Sherman Fire Department arrived at the scene and transported all three victims by boat to Sail Harbour, where ambulances were waiting. Two of the victims were subsequently transported to Danbury Hospital and later recovered.

Mellas acknowledged the selfless actions of the four rescuers: “It takes courage and flawless execution to act when that skill is required. You never know how you might react under stressful conditions.”

He emphasized that Nanos, Welling, Vazquez, and Cercy ran toward danger to save lives.

Citations Honor Four Heroes

Callahan read citations honoring the four rescuers from the Connecticut General Assembly, signed by the Secretary of the State, Speaker of the House, and Senate leadership.

Each citation recognized the honorees’ “heroism and selfless actions in rescuing a person from a near drowning at Candlewood Lake in Sherman, CT.” The citations also noted that their selflessness, bravery, and quick actions during a critical moment were inspiring and commendable.

Each honoree was commended for a distinct act of courage.

For Nanos: “By bravely jumping into the water with life jackets and assisting the individuals to safety on the rocks, you demonstrated exceptional courage and compassion.”

For Welling: “By bravely jumping in the water and performing CPR for two minutes until a pulse was detected, you demonstrated exceptional courage and compassion.”

For Cercy and Vazquez: “By giving a life jacket to the struggling swimmer and pulling the individual from the water, you demonstrated exceptional courage and compassion.”

The four honorees demonstrated remarkable courage and quick thinking in a life-threatening situation. Their actions, combined with the swift response of the CLA Marine Patrol and Sherman Fire Department, helped save three lives and set an inspiring example for the community.