4 Hollywood police officers honored for rescuing boy

Cottard Remy, 16, rescued, resuscitated

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Four Hollywood Police officers have been honored for rescuing a young man on Memorial Day.

Officers Shawn Charles, Steve Diefenbacher, Greg Saladino and Jason Thomas were all given Lifesaving Awards for pulling 16-year-old Cottard Remy out of the water and resuscitating him. 

The young man and his brother were swimming in the ocean on Memorial Day when they got caught in a rip current. Remy's older brother was able to get out of the water, but he was pulled under.

His mother, Carnide Thermidor, was calling out for help.

"I was helpless. Hundreds of people around me and no one comes to help. I am crying out, but there was no one available to help," she said.

Thomas and Diefenbacher drove into the rough surf to pull him out. Charles and Saladino were waiting on shore.

"He had ingested a lot of water," said Charles. "He had no pulse and not breathing. Our goal was to bring him back."

Charles and Saladino performed CPR and cleared Remy's lungs. His pulse returned and he was transported to Memorial Regional Medical Center. 

Over a week later and well on the road to recovery, Remy and his family returned to thank the officers.

The 16-year-old boy said the officers renewed his faith in so many ways.

"They were amazing," said Remy. "I used to be scared of police officers."

Thomas said they were are so happy he lived. Earlier that day they had pulled another boy out of the water who didn't make it. 

"We get rewards, but the greatest reward is to see this young man walking around alive," said Thomas.