A Fairfield man and his brother are being recognized as heroes after receiving one of the highest honors in North America for risking their lives to save a man and his dog stuck in frigid water on Lake Mohegan.

Jonathan and Matthew Goldfarb say it was just before dusk here at Lake Mohegan when they were on a walk when they heard a commotion in the lake in December 2019.

They saw a dog swimming and a man clinging onto a sheet of ice.

The two brothers, who have over 10 years of lifeguarding down on the Jersey Shore, sprang into action to save them. Both have been awarded the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission Medal - North America's highest honor for civilian heroism.

They say saving people is almost in their DNA and after years of rescues, this was their first time without any equipment.

Jonathan Goldfarb is a 27-year-old physical therapist who graduated from Sacred Heart University. Matthew Goldfarb is a 31-year-old physical education and health sciences teacher.