DENVILLE — Two Morris County teens who nearly lost their lives after falling through the ice on Indian Lake last month told NJ.com they didn't realize that skating that night would become a life or death struggle.

Denville Police Capt. Paul Nigro said the incident occurred around 10:20 p.m. on Dec. 26 as the teens were about 70 to 85 yards from West Shore Road.

A.J. Cavallone, 18, of Rockaway, and Matt Mezik, 17, of Denville — both of whom attend Morris Knolls High School — were skating on Indian Lake on Dec. 26 after their hockey game against Ramsey High School when they heard the ice fracture.

As previously reported by NJ.com, Denville Police Capt. Paul Nigro said the incident occurred around 10:20 p.m. as the teens were about 70 to 85 yards from West Shore Road when one of the youths fell through the ice into about six feet of frigid water.

Cavallone, who was skating in front of Mezik, heard "a big crack" on the ice ahead and started trying to skate away from it.

"At the end of each of my strides, my leg would go through the ice," Cavallone said. "Eventually it caught up to me and I fell through and started swimming."

Despite the winter clothes and skates, Cavallone said he was able to swim by "doing the worm in the water" and trying to swim like a dolphin.

"We thought it was safe," Mezik said. "We saw people skating on (the lake) earlier in the day. I heard a fracture crack, and I saw a big black hole, and then (Cavallone) fell in."

Both teens were screaming for help as Cavallone tried to swim through the water and climb out, but each time he grabbed the ice, it broke off and widened the hole.

"Piece by piece it would rip and then I was screaming for help," Cavallone said.

"He was asking me to help him, and I went over to the hole, and I got on one knee to help him," Mezik said.

"It was so cold, it was hard for (Cavallone) to get out himself," Mezik said.

That's when Mezik fell into the six-foot-wide hole. He was able to climb out onto a more stable portion of the ice.

"Matt came back to pull me up and save me, but then he fell in," Cavallone said. "Once I saw him get out, I swam over to where he was because it was thicker ice, but my body froze up and he went to get help."

Both teens were then screaming for help as Mezik tried to make his way over to the edge of the lake where he saw people coming out onto their docks.

When he looked back, though, Mezik saw Cavallone's head go completely under the water. He then went back to the hole for his friend.



"Once my face hit the water, I kind of resurfaced myself," Cavallone said. "When (Mezik) came back to save me, I felt bad. I was just encouraging him to stay above water, to save himself."

"I just didn't know what to do but scream for help and grab onto the ice," Cavallone said. "It was really hopeless. I thought I was going to be dead. If he didn't look back and see my head go under the water, I'd be dead. I think I would actually be dead."

Mezik was able to help pull Cavallone out of the water and onto the ice. After getting out of the water, the pair made their way over to a dock where resident Charles Taylor was already on his way out to them carrying an extension ladder.

Charles and Barbara Taylor, whose home abuts the lake, were watching a new DVD when they heard screaming coming from the ice and, at first, thought it was just kids "messing around."

"We heard a strange sound and we thought it was just kids out on the lake, but then I heard 'help, please help me!'" Barbara Taylor said.

After realizing someone was in danger, Charles Taylor, a retired cop, "went tearing off downstairs" in his pajamas toward the lake.

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"Living on the lake, I know the surface is real uneven," he said. "I always keep a rope and an extension ladder ready outside."

Barbara Taylor said by the time her husband got out there, Mezik had pulled Cavallone out of the hole. The couple then brought the teens inside and gave them towels, blankets and snow pants to put on in order to warm up.

"I'm just so glad it all worked out," Charles Taylor said.

"They were really nice," Cavallone said. "I was amazed how quick the guy got out of his house and got the ladder and helped us."

Both teenagers were then transported to St. Clare's Hospital by the Denville Volunteer Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services, but neither youth sustained hypothermia, Nigro previously said. Anyone who goes out on the ice should use extreme caution, or simply not go out on the ice, he said.

The teens said the incident hadn't stopped them from skating, but it had changed their mindsets.

"It's just made me think more and make sure I'm making better decisions," Mezik said. "I've been skating since then, but I haven't gone at night, and when I've gone I've went with a group of people who know the area."

Cavallone, who has played pond hockey since the incident, said he's much more cautious and skates "mostly with a lot of people now."

"Don't go in deep sections, don't be the first man on the ice," he said. "But I'm not going to let it spook me enough to stop going on the ice."

In 2009, a Denville man died after he and a friend challenged each other to a swimming contest in the icy waters of Indian Lake that December.