University professor Nebojša Čokorilo from the Faculty of Sport and Physical Education was running along the quay near the tennis courts that afternoon—a regular routine for him—when he heard cries for help in English: “Help, help!” An upset woman soon approached him and said that a girl was drowning.
Without hesitation, he went down to the riverbank and saw a young woman about 15 meters from the shore, struggling for her life. Her body was alternately sinking and surfacing, and she was fully clothed. The professor kicked off his sneakers and jumped into the icy river.
“The girl didn’t resist; her lips were blue. I pulled her to the shore, we put her in the recovery position, and immediately called for an ambulance,” said Professor Čokorilo.
Emergency services arrived quickly, and the young woman was transported to a medical facility in Sremska Kamenica, where she received further medical care. Reports indicate she is out of danger. “My heart rate was about 160, so I didn’t even feel the cold of the Danube. It all happened instinctively,” Čokorilo added.
According to the Republic Hydrometeorological Service, the temperature of the Danube that day was approximately 3°C (37°F), further testifying to the extreme risk and bravery of this feat.
When asked if he had a message for his fellow citizens, the professor was clear: “Always pay attention to whether someone needs help. Don’t turn your head away.”
Thanks to the quick reaction, physical fitness, and human solidarity of Professor Nebojša Čokorilo, a tragedy was avoided, and the New Year in Novi Sad began with a story that reminds us that real heroes live among us.
Source: Dnevnik.rs | Photo: Private Archive