Inner Harbor Kayaker Rescues Puppy
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- An after-work workout turns a Canton man into a hero.
Jessica Kartalija reports he took a dive into the Inner Harbor to save a life.
Matt Corasanti, 28, is an avid kayaker who enjoys a nice ride after work in Fells Point.
"So I had just finished up, and this guy comes just kind of barreling around the corner. And he was like, 'My dog is falling in. Can you help? Can you help?'" Corasanti said.
Frantic, the man was shouting that his puppy had fallen into the water and wasn't able to climb to safety.
"The dog was trying to get out and was going right to his owner. But obviously, it's about a seven to eight foot drop, so he couldn't get there," Corasanti said.
That's when Corasanti did the unthinkable.
"I started my kayak but couldn't really get to the dog from there, so I just jumped in and started swimming over to it," he said.
The harbor water--contaminated with trash and debris. Matt swam over, grabbed the dog and hoisted him to his owner. A student taking a photography class at the University of Maryland snapped a photo.
"He was able to dry him off and the dog was healthy and happy," Corasanti said.
People walk their dogs around the Inner Harbor all the time, but they certainly don't swim in it.
"It's actually frustrating because I kayak out here a lot, and so you just see an insane amount of trash. So definitely had to traipse through some of that," Corasanti said. "But it was worth it. It was definitely worth it."
Corasanti, who lives in Canton, says when he got home, he took the longest shower of his life.
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