Greenfield Fire Department honors youths

Liam Richardson,left, and Ryan Yerardi hold the plaques they received in honor of saving their friend Grayson Danforth after he fell into Sunset Lake.

Liam Richardson,left, and Ryan Yerardi hold the plaques they received in honor of saving their friend Grayson Danforth after he fell into Sunset Lake. —PHOTO BY DAVID ALLEN

From left, Liam Richardson, Grayson Danforth, Ryan Yerardi and Greenfield Fire Department Lt. Mike Heddy.

From left, Liam Richardson, Grayson Danforth, Ryan Yerardi and Greenfield Fire Department Lt. Mike Heddy. PHOTO BY DAVID ALLEN

”The dock” in Sunset Lake, where a sign shows the rules for swimming.

”The dock” in Sunset Lake, where a sign shows the rules for swimming. PHOTO BY DAVID ALLEN

By DAVID ALLEN

For the Ledger Transcript

Published: 09-05-2024 12:04 PM

Lt. Mike Heddy of the Greenfield Fire Department did not mince his words describing the actions of two boys at Sunset Lake last month.

“They undoubtedly saved a life,” he said.

On Tuesday, at the monthly meeting of the department, Heddy recognized Liam Richardson and Ryan Yerardi for how they responded when their friend Grayson Danforth experienced a medical emergency 100 feet from shore.

It was at 6:30 in the evening on Aug. 13 when Liam and Ryan, now seventh-graders at South Meadow School, were enjoying the lake at “the dock,” which is actually a moored diving raft just beyond the roped swimming area. Grayson lost his footing and fell into the lake, striking his head on the raft in the process, and going into distress in the water.

Liam explained that “What do I do?” was his first thought, but then he went into the water and lifted Grayson up to Ryan and onto the raft. From the shore, Liam’s mother Jamie Richardson called out advice to the boys as she dialed 911.

“His breathing was noisy and he vomited,” Ryan recalled, but he and Liam nevertheless did exactly what was needed. 

“They got him into the recovery position, on his side,” explained Fire Department Lt. Melissa Ross. “We were having a training event that day, so when the call came in, there was no shortage of people here to respond.” 

Arriving at the scene, firefighters Eugene Hennessy and Dave Martin made for the raft fully clothed. The situation required a water rescue, so Ross and Capt. Danielle Gardiner of Wilton Ambulance reached the scene in a boat, and with the help of Michael Hutchinson and Julie Duvall, transported Grayson to the shore. From there, he was taken by helicopter to Dartmouth-Hitchcock in Hanover.

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“Anything pediatric, they go to Dartmouth-Hitchcock,” Ross explained. Fire Department Capt. Chaz Babb added that the helicopter can get there in perhaps 20 minutes. 

“They think I might have a concussion,” Grayson said, but this prospect did not seem to cloud his mood as he recalled the actions of Richardson and Yerardi. “Jumping in and taking action – that’s friends when you need them.”

When Liam and Ryan were asked if they were afraid of how the situation could go wrong, both boys said that there was a fleeting second of worry, but Ryan explained that this was replaced by a crucial thought: “Don’t panic.” Another factor in the outcome may have been Liam’s involvement with the Goss Park Swim Team. At the Wilton-based summer program, he has learned how to respond to unplanned situations in the water.

“I knew that we had to be careful with his neck,” he said. “It’s a relief that he’s not dead.”

As the families of all three boys gathered outside the GFD after the presentation, Grayson gestured to Liam and Ryan.

“These guys, my best friends,” he said.

Coincidentally, when the 911 call went out, while she did not know that it was her son who was in distress, Grayson’s mother Kathreine Danforth, a dispatcher with the Milford Area Communication Center – heard the call. 

A sign at Sunset Lake cautions people to “Swim at your own risk when lifeguard is not on duty.” Mandi Gerrish of Greenfield was letting her boys -- ages 11, 8, 5 and 4 -- enjoy Sunset Lake on a recent afternoon, and was aware of the events at the raft.

“Things just happen in water,” she shook her head, adding that the lake does offer swimming lessons in the summer, and that her boys take advantage of them. 

Jamie Richardson lauded the Greenfield Fire Department, Wilton Ambulance and all the first-responders for a safe outcome to this episode. Liam and Ryan received engraved plaques in recognition of their efforts, which sported a quote by 19th century poet Albert Pike: “What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”

Mindful of how two now-seventh-graders responded to the matter at hand, Heddy said to Liam and Ryan, “We might have jobs for you someday.”