U of R groundskeeper gets award for rescuing man from Genesee River

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Advantage Federal Credit Union presented its Good Citizen Award on Tuesday to the University of Rochester groundskeeper who saved a man from drowning in the Genesee River in April.

Michael Chudyk was cleaning up along the Genesee River when he noticed a man floating in the water. He dropped his gear, took off his shoes, and jumped into the cold river to rescue a man he’d never met.

“I think it was an ‘in the moment’ kind of thing. I think that it was just instinct,” Chudyk said. “You know, as soon as I seen him coming down and I was at the right angle, I knew that it was me that had to get in and save him.”

Chudyk credits his co-workers who helped pull him out of the water with helping save his life.