Photos: Nantucket Lifesavers Recognition Day
Jason Graziadei •
The Egan Maritime Institute and Nantucket Cottage Hospital presented the annual Nantucket Lifesaving Award, as well as Egan’s Maurice Gibbs Commendation Award and its Caldwell Heritage Award, during a ceremony last Friday night at the Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum.
LIFESAVING AWARD
For their quick response to an emergency in Nantucket Harbor in June, off-duty firefighter Raymond DeCosta and Carl Bendiksen received the 2026 Lifesaving Award from Egan and NCH, which is presented annually to a citizen who rescues another person from drowning, shipwreck, or other water-related dangers.
On June 1st, DeCosta and Bendiksen 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, then found that he was not breathing and had no pulse, and began performing CPR. Fire Department personnel 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. Read more about the incident at this link.
Another man, Dan Salon, was also presented with a Lifesavers Award for a surf rescue on the south shore. On Friday, August 28th, Salon was surfing off Russell’s Way when he saw a man on the beach frantically yelling and pointing. Salon then also saw a woman about 150 yards away in distress, being pulled out to sea in a rip current. Without hesitation, he paddled to the woman and realized she needed immediate rescue. He eventually got her on his surfboard and paddled her to shore.
MAURICE GIBBS COMMENDATION AWARD
Four Nantucket camp counselors received this year’s Maurice Gibbs Commendation Award for rescuing a woman and her cats from a burning home following a lightning strike on July 18, 2026. Lilla Sharman, Elizabeth Stockton, Tabitha Myers, and Jakobe Stevens happened to be in the area when lightning struck a home on Upper Tawpashaw Road. They saw the strike, immediately alerted homeowner Susan Hostetler to the fire at her home, and helped rescue her and her cats from the burning structure. Read more about their rescue at this link.
CALDWELL HERITAGE AWARD
This year’s recipient of Egan’s Caldwell Heritage Award is George Bassett Jr. The award, named in memory of Robert Cary Caldwell, the visionary behind the Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum, celebrates individuals who play a pivotal role in preserving and promoting Nantucket’s maritime heritage sites, including its lifesaving traditions and narrative history. Bassett is a former U.S. Coast Guard member and longtime director of marina operations at the Nantucket Boat Basin.
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.”
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 harbormaster, and the master chief of USCG Station Brant Point. Together, the committee also formally recognized the town of Nantucket lifeguards, Harbormaster crew, members of USCG Station Brant Point, and all of Nantucket’s first responders for keeping the island safe during last Friday's ceremony.
All photos below of Friday's ceremony by Chris Tran:
