An 83-year-old man who took a shortcut through a marsh he used as a child needed to be rescued after he called police to say he was “stuck and sinking in the mud.”

Video images show an NYPD’s aviation team hoisting the man to safety at the conclusion of an hour-long search on Staten Island Thursday afternoon.

The team’s helicopter was nearly out of fuel when they finally spotted him, WPIX-TV reported.

"All of sudden, I don't know how, but I caught a little hand movement from him, out of the corner of my eye," Detective Sean Daly told the station.

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“He got a little tired, disoriented and ended up falling and couldn’t get back up,” Daly said.

The man was in the water was lying on his back and holding his briefcase when the detective reached him.

Doctors said the man was in good condition.

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"Awesome day, this is why we take this job, to help people," Daly told the station.