Life savers.

During 2003, the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission honored 98 individuals--four posthumously, who died during their heroic efforts--with bronze Carnegie Medals and $3500 cash awards for risking their lives to an extraordinary degree while saving, or attempting to save, the lives of others. Among the recipients were Eric Svihovec (21) of Miller Place, New York, and Christopher Crociata (16) of Mount Sinai, New York.

In the late afternoon of July 1, 2001, during a torrential thunderstorm, an automobile veered out of control and plummeted down a boat ramp at a marina before plunging into Mount Sinai Harbor. It began to sink in about 13 feet of water, with two-month-old Olivia Wardell and her mother trapped inside. Olivia was strapped into a back-seat car seat.

College student Svihovec and high schooler Crociata, who were working as dockhands at the marina, witnessed the accident. They ran along the dock adjacent to the ramp and dove into the water.

Crociata swam to the driver's side of the car, but he was unable to open the front door to free Mrs. Wardell. When Svihovec reached the passenger side, however, he was able to pull a door open so she could exit the sinking vehicle.

Crociata went to the passenger side, reached into the auto, and pushed the front passenger seat forward. Svihovec then managed to free the car seat with its tiny occupant. By then the car had submerged to the point that both he and the baby were under water.

After backing out of the car and surfacing, he passed the car seat and baby to Crociata, who swam back to the dock and handed his precious cargo to another person waiting there. Svihovec and Mrs. Wardell also reached the dock safely.

Olivia was taken to a local hospital, where it was quickly determined that she had emerged from the harrowing ordeal uninjured. Her mother and Svihovec were also unharmed. The only "casualty" was Crociata, who suffered a minor cut on one knee.