Sean Malone: The Fighter actor dies in drowning accident, Aged 54

Sean Malone, a Boston-based actor who appeared in Gone Baby Gone, died after nearly drowning earlier this month. He was 54.

His son Sean Thomas Malone, 20, along with his parents and all his siblings had been with him “constantly” since the July 20 incident.

“The family would like to thank the excellent staff at the Boston Medical Center and all the many friends that have reached out during this past week to offer their prayers and support,” MacDonald said.

“It’s a sad time, but they [Malone’s family] were with him till the end.”

Sean is the brother of Deputy Fire Chief Scott Malone. Scott Malone could not be reached for comment Wednesday night, but MacDonald said that Sean’s death was “very personal to the department.”

Sean Malone has appeared in movies such as “The Fighter,” “Gone Baby Gone,” and most recently, “The Forger.”

On July 20, firefighter Chris Flaherty of Boston was working out with other off-duty firefighters at the L Street Bathhouse when he became concerned with how far out Malone was swimming in the waters off M Street Beach.

Grabbing a paddle board, Flaherty made his way out to where he saw Malone swimming, about 40 yards off the beach. But by the time he reached the area, Malone had gone under.

Flaherty waved down 17-year-old Joey Binda, 18-year-old John Feeney, and 17-year-old Elliott Chauvet, who were on the water in their boat, tubing and water skiing, to pick him up and help him search for Malone.

As the boat drove further out, Flaherty spotted Malone, and jumped in and swam out to him. He had the teens turn off the boat’s motor before he brought Malone aboard.

Flaherty told Binda, who was driving, “Get him to shore as fast as you can,” while Feeney and Chauvet assisted him in performing CPR on Malone as they sped to shore.

The boat raced to meet two other off-duty firefighters, Ryan Long and Andrew Lane, at the bathhouse. The two firefighters were waiting with a defibrillator they had retrieved from the building.

They did not use the defibrillator, but assisted in lifting Malone onto the paddleboard, all the while performing chest compressions, MacDonald said.

More firefighters arrived at about 4 p.m., along with State Police and EMS, before he was taken to Boston Medical Center, officials said.

Malone arrived at Boston Medical Center in “critical condition” after he was pulled from the water unconscious, MacDonald said at the time.

The Fire Department spokesman described the cause of Malone’s death as “injuries received from being pulled from the water unconscious and not breathing.”

Malone’s family also wanted to again thank the off-duty firefighters and three youths from Milton that helped “give Sean a chance.”

One of those rescuers, Joey Binda, did not know what to say upon learning that the South Boston man did not survive.

“I’m kind of speechless right now,” Binda said Wednesday night.

Agencies/Canadajournal