An Illinois police officer is receiving praise for risking his own safety to save a man from drowning.
Palos Park Police Officer Ryan Franczak was reportedly off duty and tubing on vacation when he recently saw an older man fall into the water in the Gila and Salt River in Avondale, Arizona.
Listen to the latest episode of CBN’s Quick Start podcast 👇
When the man failed to come up to the surface, Franczak took quick action.
“It was at this point Palos Park Officer Ryan Franczak jumped off his tube and dived in with another Tuber, into the Gila Salt River and began to search for the man,” the Palos Park Police Department said in a Facebook post. “Ryan located the man underwater and pulled him up and over to the shore.”
These heroic actions led the office to receive praise from higher-ups, with Palos Park Police Commissioner Dan Polk stating Franczak’s actions exemplify the important role of officers.
“Officer Ryan Franczak’s heroic actions truly represent the mission and values of the Palos Park Police Department and the mantra shared among all police officers that we are never truly off duty,” Polk said.
Palos Park Mayor Nicole Milovich-Walters also praised the officer and thanked him for his service.
It should be noted Franczak’s actions reportedly only came to light because the victim’s family reached out to the police department to explain what had unfolded.
***As the number of voices facing big-tech censorship continues to grow, please sign up for Faithwire’s daily newsletter and download the CBN News app, developed by our parent company, to stay up-to-date with the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***