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by TAMER EL-GHOBASHY
The mother of a 13-year-old boy plucked unconscious from Jamaica Bay yesterday praised the heroes who saved him as her son showed signs of improvement.
"They have my family's thanks," said Shonda Miller, mother of Tab Miller, as she briefly emerged from a marathon bedside vigil at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. "I would love to meet them."
Tab was pulled out of the waters off Far Rockaway Tuesday afternoon, thanks to the combined efforts of a quick-thinking 15-year-old boy, a firefighter and a local man. His mother told the Daily News yesterday that their actions fueled her hope that Tab, a straight A student and aspiring baseball player, will recover.
"My son is going to be just fine," she said, noting the boy's father, grandparents and dozens of other relatives were pulling for him. "I have 50 people around me at this hospital - I have no choice but to be optimistic."
Miller, 31, said Tab has showed slight improvement since the harrowing Tuesday afternoon rescue, taking some breaths without the aid of a respirator. Hospital officials said he was still in extremely critical condition.
The drama unfolded when Tab and his cousin, Devin Erwin, 7, slipped and fell into the water as they were skipping rocks on a narrow path near the bay in the Arverne section of Far Rockaway, Miller said. Hearing their screams for help, 15-year-old Saide Palmer first called the cops, then tossed two basketballs into the water for the boys to use as floats. Devin used one to wade back to shore.
Meanwhile, Tab, who couldn't reach the ball, was being rapidly swept away by the deadly current.
Firefighter Craig Mosia arrived moments later and raced along the shoreline until he spotted the boy. Diving in his underwear, Mosia swam out to the boy and then shuttled him to safety. He and a local man, Robert Denni, 39, took turns trying to revive him on Denni's backyard pier.
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