Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer recently joined with Deputy Supervisor Tony Martinez, Councilman Tom Donnelly, Town Clerk Carol Quirk and Receiver of Taxes Corinne DiSomma to honor Gem Hattat, a 19-year old resident of Lindenhurst who assisted in the rescue of two stranded kayakers from the Great South Bay this summer. Lindenhurst Village Mayor Thomas Brennan was also in attendance to present Gem with a proclamation from the Village in recognition of his actions.
While at the Lindenhurst Village Marina, Gem Hattat heard cries of help from the water, prompting him to stay on the scene and call 911 to alert the Suffolk County Marine Police and the United States Coast Guard. Following the arrival of the authorities, the two kayakers who had fallen out of their boat without life preservers were located, pulled from the water and brought to safety.
Pictured from left to right are Receiver of Taxes Corinne DiSomma; Town Clerk Carol Quirk; Supervisor Schaffer; Gem Hattat; Mayor Brennan; Gem Hattat Sr., father; Bahtiyar Hattat, grandmother; Councilman Donnelly; and Deputy Supervisor Martinez.