Swimming Instructor With Amputated Leg Saves New Jersey Man From Sinking Car

A driver trapped in his sinking car at Hudson Park in Bayonne, New Jersey, was rescued by several bystanders who jumped into the water, among them a man with an amputated leg who happened to be a swimming instructor. The heroic moment was caught on camera after the car plunged into the water.

Anthony Capuano, 29, who lost his leg 12 years ago in an accident on a train track, didn’t hesitate to take off his prosthetic leg and leap in after him. Capuano told Inside Edition he was working out nearby when he spotted the drowning motorist.

“I got to him and I told him, he was like ‘I can’t swim,’ and I was like ‘I’m a lifeguard, it’s OK,’ and I was trying to explain to him how to float and I showed him what you’re supposed to do—you put your head back like this,” Capuano said.

Capuano said his instinct kicked in without a second thought.

“One thing I would tell people to take away from this—everyone should learn how to swim,” he said.

The driver was not injured. Officials are looking to see if there was an issue or malfunction with the gas pedal.

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