A jet ski crew known for raucous water parties pulled a 19-year-old man from the East River on Wednesday seconds after he leaped from the Brooklyn Bridge, keeping him alive until police could rush him to the hospital.
James Reichelt, 37, who leads the group called NYC Pirates, said the rescue unfolded in the critical window between splash and death. Reichelt, who goes by “Whiteboy,” told The Post he sped toward the teen without hesitation after watching him jump from the 278-foot span.
“I know from being on the water for so many years that seconds on the water can be deadly,” said Reichelt.
The teenager was roughly a foot beneath the surface and, remarkably, still conscious when Reichelt reached him. The crew had been enjoying an unseasonably warm afternoon near the bridge when they spotted a police boat with rescue ropes racing toward a figure standing atop the structure.
“I grabbed him and said, ‘Hold on, buddy, I got you! Don’t worry, I’m here,'” Reichelt recalled.
“The minute I pulled him out of the water, you see the fear in his eyes. He was so scared. And the first thing he said was, ‘I’m sorry,'” he continued.
Another crew member climbed onto Reichelt’s jet ski to help stabilize the injured teen. To smooth the transfer to authorities, one skier even tossed his riding buddy into the sea. The pair then brought the 19-year-old to an NYPD Harbor Unit boat, which transported him to South Street Seaport. An ambulance rushed him from there to Bellevue Hospital, where police said he is in stable condition.
Reichelt described the shock of the moment in blunt terms.
“It was like, ‘holy s–t, did that just happen?’ It was pretty crazy,” he told The Post.
The NYC Pirates, who organize annual waterway parties near City Island that draw jet skiers and boaters to Bronx waterways, have a reputation for rowdy antics that sometimes draws complaints. But Reichelt noted the crew has repeatedly sprung into emergency action, including when a boat caught fire and on numerous occasions when they plucked exhausted swimmers from the water during their events.
“Seconds in the water can be crucial. I’m just happy to be there at the right time to help somebody out. I’m always willing to help somebody out and spring into action at any time,” said Reichelt.
The rescue video captured the Pirates carefully navigating choppy waters to deliver the teen to the rescue boat, a stark contrast to their usual high-energy gatherings.
Reichelt took to social media Thursday to share the experience and urge people struggling with suicidal thoughts to seek help rather than endanger themselves. Mental health awareness has become a cause tied to the group; the crew has hosted an annual fundraiser for related organizations over the past several summers.
“The way he looked at me, it was so much fear. It was instant regret, I would say, probably for whatever reason he was saying sorry for,” said Reichelt.
While Reichelt said he would accept being called a hero, he maintained that rushing to assist others is standard behavior for him and his friends.
The NYPD Harbor Unit continues its operations on the city’s waterways as summer boating activity increases.