SULLIVAN TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WJW) – Two local high school football players are hailed as heroes after rescuing and reviving a teammate who nearly drowned earlier this month.
The Black River High School football team was enjoying a team-bonding swim at a pond in Sullivan Township on June 12 when senior Chase Gallagher found himself in serious trouble.
“I had just finished eating, and my friend Cage went in to swim. I said, ‘I’ll go in with you,’” Gallagher recalled. He began swimming toward a paddleboat where some teammates were gathered. But when they jumped off, the boat drifted away.
“I tried treading water, but I couldn’t even do that. I didn’t want to call for help, but then I realized I had to,” Gallagher said.
Sophomore Trenton Delesky heard his teammate’s cries.
“I started hearing ‘help,’ so I jumped in,” Delesky said. “I grabbed him and tried to pull him to the shore, but I kept going under too.”
At the same time, senior Zane Bungard, already partially in the water, saw both boys struggling.
“I saw them go under. I swam to where Chase had gone down, pulled him up from the bottom, and swam him to the ledge,” Bungard said. “I started CPR immediately, and when I got tired, Trenton took over.”
Thanks to their quick action, Gallagher was breathing again by the time first responders arrived— despite having been underwater for an estimated 40 to 60 seconds.
He was taken to a nearby hospital and has since made a full recovery. In fact, Gallagher rejoined his teammates at practice this week.
“I’m so grateful to be here and to have these people around me, supporting me still,” Gallagher said.
