CNN’s Chris Cuomo saved a man from drowning while boating in the Hamptons on Sunday.
The “New Day” anchor spotted a swimmer swept up in a strong current while boating with his family, and after realizing the man wasn’t able to rescue himself, jumped in after him.
“I threw him the life preserver and it wasn’t enough,” Cuomo said on CNN Tuesday. “So I didn’t think. I just went in and got him.”
Cuomo swam to the man and dragged him to shallower waters, where the two were picked up by a police boat flagged down by other boaters.
“I probably just should’ve radioed for the cops or something,” he continued. “But I didn’t think the guy was going to make it.”
After being called out by his co-hosts for not telling them the story, Cuomo said he didn’t want to bring too much attention to it and asked that the swimmer not be identified. “I was leaving it alone because I didn’t want to reveal the guy,” he said. “I didn’t want to embarrass him.”
Cuomo’s main takeaway from the experience? “Think before you do something like that.”