UPDATE: Attleboro teen meets firefighter who saved her after falling through ice

By: News Staff

news@abc6.com

@ABC6

ATTLEBORO, Mass. — Multiple teens met with two Attleboro Firefighters Monday night for the first time, thanking them for saving one girl’s life.

"I don’t know what to say, I guess words don’t work,’ said Rachael Sullivan, 15, of Attleboro. She was speaking to Stephen Marcotte, the firefighter who rescued her from an icy pond after she fell in on Sunday.  The two were able to talk about the incident after ABC6 arranged for the two to meet.

"This has been a nice surprise," said Marcotte. "You know, too often we don’t have the chance to encounter the people that we have an opportunity to help serve, and to see them today, standing upright and relative warm… we’re very grateful."

The three children fell through thin ice behind the Elks Lodge on South Main Street Sunday afternoon. Firefighters told ABC6 News two boys managed to free themselves and ran to Elks Lodge for help.

Sullivan was holding herself up on the shell of the ice, wearing only a short-sleeve jersey, pants and sock. She added, she can’t swim.

"I’m very grateful for him," she said of the Firefighter who waded onto the ice to grab her, saving her life. "The water was very cold, it was harsh." Officials say she was in the water for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Jacob Rasotti, 14 of Attleboro and a friend also fell through the ice after trying to cross the pond to get to a rock on the other side.

"I didn’t know if I was going to die that day, that second," said Rasotti. "Today is my birthday and luckily I’m still here."

All three kids were talking and alert when they were transported to the hospital. They were treated Sunday for different stages of hypothermia and later released.

"This is a lucky case… a happy ending," said Lieutenant Mark Renker of the Attleboro Fire Department.

©WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017