ATLANTIC CITY-On July 29, 2019 at 9:32 am, Atlantic City first responders, including police, fire, beach patrol and EMS, responded to the beach at New Jersey Avenue for a report of a child drowning and his father entering the water to save him.
While responding, the child, 11 years old, was able to make it to the shoreline. A former police officer, Jim Glorioso Jr. from Amsterdam, NY, observed the father struggling in the water, retrieved a boogie board, and entered the water. Glorioso located the man after he had gone under water and attempted to pull him on the boogie board. Atlantic City Beach Patrol Chief Steve Downey was the first to the two men followed by members of the fire department.
Both men were assisted to shore. The father was unresponsive and firefighters immediately began performing CPR. He was transported to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Division, where he died. The child was also transported to the medical center for treatment.
The Atlantic City Beach Patrol was off-duty at the time of this incident. Upon hearing of the need for assistance, they immediately responded from a nearby beach tent.