By Ben Fractenberg
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
FINANCIAL DISTRICT — An Afghanistan war veteran saved a woman from drowning near the South Street Seaport early Sunday morning, the New York Post reported.
Danielle Julia DiMonda, 33, was reportedly coming from a concert at Governors Island around 1:10 a.m. when she fell off a pier. Former Navy sailor Nicholas Przybyla dove in after her and held her above water until a police rescue boat pulled them out of the water.
"I saw her head disappear under the water, and she was gone for a good 60 seconds," Przybyla told The Post. "It seemed like she was kind of struggling, so I jumped in and grabbed her.”
DiMonda was well enough after the ordeal to speak with reporters.
"He saved my life. People don't do that -- but I guess some people do," the Manhattan social worker told The Post. "You read stories of people jumping into subways to save people. If he hadn't come down . . . no one was doing anything. I felt like I was alone down there."
