Nantucket’s history is filled with stories of heroism and lifesaving acts carried out by everyday citizens and professionals who went above and beyond the call of duty. Each year, Egan Maritime Institute and Nantucket Cottage Hospital honor that tradition by recognizing modern-day lifesavers at Lifesavers Recognition Day.
This summer was an exceptionally safe season on the waterfront. The Lifesavers Recognition Day Committee—chaired by Jessica Guff, president of the Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum Advisory Committee—includes the Executive Director of Egan Maritime Institute, the President of Nantucket Cottage Hospital, the Executive Director of the Nantucket Cottage Hospital Foundation, the Fire Chief, the Police Chief, the Nantucket Harbor Master, and the Master Chief of USCG Station Brant Point. Together, the committee will formally recognize the Town of Nantucket lifeguards, Harbor Master crew, members of USCG Station Brant Point, and all of Nantucket’s first responders for keeping the island safe.
At this year’s ceremony, three community awards will be presented. The first is the Maurice Gibbs Commendation Award, which honors a person who has contributed significantly to saving and preserving lives for the people and the Town of Nantucket.
This year’s recipients are Lilla Sharman, Elizabeth Stockdon, Tabitha Myers, and Jakobe Steves, four young camp counselors. On the night of July 18, lightning struck a home on Upper Tawpashaw Road. These four saw the strike, immediately alerted an island homeowner to a fire at her home, and helped rescue her and her cats from the burning structure. They called 911 to report the blaze, went back into the house with the owner, helped calm her down, located her cats and got them into carriers they retrieved from the basement, and then escaped from the structure unharmed.
The Lifesaving Award, presented annually at the event, is given to a citizen who rescues—or endeavors to rescue—another person from drowning, shipwreck, or other water-related dangers. This year, the award will be presented to Off-Duty Firefighter Raymond Decosta and Carl Bendiksen.
On Monday, June 1, Raymond and Carl were on the Town pier when they noticed a person kiteboarding in the area. After several minutes, they saw that the kiteboarder appeared to be submerged, though the kiteboard was still being blown by the wind. They took immediate action, reached the victim by boat, removed him from the water (and the kiteboard), found that he was not breathing and had no pulse, and began performing CPR. Fire Department personnel then arrived, took over treatment, and transported the patient to Nantucket Cottage Hospital. The patient was transferred to a mainland hospital via helicopter and ultimately made a full recovery. All involved are confident that had it not been for the quick actions of Raymond and Carl on scene, there would have been a tragic outcome to this incident. The committee would also like to publicly acknowledge and thank Ethan McMarrow, Lloyd Brown, and Tim Reinemo, who were on a neighboring boat and assisted in transporting the patient back to the dock. We also acknowledge the heroic work of the public safety personnel who responded to the accident: David Angelastro, Alana Macey, and Tim Vamosi.
“As a community and as a committee, we are grateful for the hard work of all our professional lifesavers and heroic citizens,” said Jessica Guff. “Each year, we hope for the day when we are unable to nominate anyone for the Lifesaving Award, as that would mean there were no accidents on the water. While that may be a lofty goal, we came very close this year, with no significant saves on our island’s beaches this summer.”
The final award is Egan’s Caldwell Heritage Award, a prestigious community recognition named in memory of Robert Cary Caldwell, the visionary behind the Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum. The award celebrates individuals who, like Caldwell, play a pivotal role in preserving and promoting Nantucket’s maritime heritage sites, including its lifesaving traditions and narrative history. This year’s recipient is George Bassett Jr.
In the words of Michelle Maturo, Caldwell’s granddaughter, “George has had a significant impact on Nantucket’s waterfront community. The Nantucket Boat Basin saw many changes and facility improvements during his 30-year tenure. He is known for providing outstanding hospitality and unforgettable experiences for Nantucket’s boating and yachting guests, making the Nantucket Boat Basin a top-tier marina in our country. George Bassett Jr. is a worthy nominee for the Caldwell Heritage Award.”
All are welcome to join us on the evening of September 11 to celebrate Nantucket’s legacy of selfless heroism and the people who step forward when others are in need. This is a free event, but registration is required. To register, visit https://eganmaritime.org/events/lifesavers-recognition-day-4?occ=2026-09-11
This event is presented by Egan Maritime Institute and Nantucket Cottage Hospital, both nonprofit organizations dedicated to serving the Nantucket community. To ensure this celebration continues for years to come, we rely on the generosity of donors to help cover the costs of honoring Nantucket’s lifesavers. To donate, click here.