A Chandler teenager is being hailed as a hero for his courageous attempt to rescue a driver after an SUV ended up submerged in a local lake. Ethan Cakmak, 16, spurred into action upon seeing the vehicle in the water near his apartment complex at the intersection of Dobson and Queen Creek, as reported by ABC15.
According to FOX 10 Phoenix, the teen had just returned from school when his father, Erkan Cakmak, heard a "plump" sound indicating a car in the water and called out for him. Discarding all but his determination, Ethan stripped off excess clothing and plunged into the frigid waters with an intent to save the driver, who, trapped inside the sinking SUV, lay unconscious.
"At that point, I was like, 'He needs help; he needs help,'" Ethan Cakmak recounted in a statement obtained by ABC15. Endeavoring to reach the sinking car, Cakmak tried to break a window to get to the unresponsive man, who was still breathing. Despite the harrowing circumstances and their own safety, the act of selflessness by the Cakmak duo stood out as a testament to community bravery.
Chandler fire and police departments quickly followed suit with a dramatic rescue operation, securing the male driver and ensuring his transportation to the hospital where he was listed as alert. Having swam back to the shore after realizing the driver was beyond his help, Ethan watched the first responders complete the rescue he had initiated. As heard on the chilly lake shore, police commended the young man's quick thinking. "I think that's awesome. It goes to show that we're out here looking out for each other. Not just us, PD and fire, but also our private citizens," Chandler Police Sgt. Ricky Gonzales said, admiringly.
Both father and son reflected on the importance of community support and the human duty to assist others in need. "People need help sometimes and you should be, as a community, there for each other... and it's really important to me. It's one of my values," Ethan Cakmak told ABC15. Echoing this sentiment, Erkan Cakmak said, "You have to do something right." While the driver's condition stabilized, the mystery remains as police continue to investigate why his vehicle veered off the road into the water.
