Police Chief Michael Foligno of Elmwood Park, New Jersey, is being hailed a hero for an incredible rescue mission involving a helpless mother and her 2-year-old baby.
On a sunny afternoon, the mother and daughter were reportedly trying to cross the Passaic River when they fell through a crack in the ice.
"We're going to die!" the officer heard her scream while holding onto her daughter for dear life.
Foligno was able to grab a kayak and a shovel from a Good Samaritan. He used the shovel to claw his way forward on the thin ice, risking his own life in the process.
Foligno finally reached them. He saw the baby girl was terrified, clinging to her mom and slipping in and out of consciousness. The mother, on the other hand, was panicking and shaking. He knew he needed to save them both without letting the kayak tip over into the water.
Had the heroic policeman not reached them when he did, he says the pair surely would have drowned in those frigid waters. It's believed they were trapped in the ice for 45 minutes!
Watch the video below to see how a group of rescuers were able to work together to pull the mother and baby to safety. Bravo.
