A Yonkers man who spent more than 50 years on Hudson River lifeguard duty died just after saving a woman who had jumped off a Yonkers pier.
Frank Kendrick, 71, captain of the U.S. Volunteer Life-Saving Corps, suffered a heart attack Wednesday after leaping into the treacherous waters and rescuing the 29-year-old woman.
“His final rescue was a tremendous act of heroism,” said Yonkers Police Commissioner Charles Cola. “He was an outstanding individual. He will be missed by everyone along the Hudson River.”
Rescue boats reached both of them within minutes, but paramedics couldn’t revive Kendrick once they got to shore.
“That was the last life he saved,” said his wife, Kay Kendrick, who has watched him save 40 people from the Hudson River over the last five decades.
“He gave his life for her. I hope she knows this was the best of the best who saved her life.”
Frank Kendrick was in the corps’ trailer near the Yonkers City Pier when his wife called from their nearby home and said she spotted a woman on the pier acting strangely.
The woman, whose name was not released, jumped into the choppy waters just before Kendrick arrived.
Kay Kendrick threw a life preserver at her, and Frank Kendrick feverishly swam through the frigid and wind-whipped currents to bring it to the woman.
Cola said Kendrick had been planning to scale back his lifesaving activities because the Yonkers Police Department had recently beefed up its marine unit.
“He never slowed down,” Cola said. “He loved to patrol the river.”
Kay Kendrick said she will never forget her husband’s heroism over the last five decades.
“He was my hero 51 years ago,” she said. “And he is still my hero today.”
With Post Wire Services