A merchant marine cadet from Cal Poly Maritime Academy is being praised for pulling a father and his 25-year-old son from the bottom of an apartment complex pool in Foster City, California, and giving CPR until the young man started breathing on his own.
The cadet, Zion Jerge, a senior in the academy’s Marine Transportation program, heard screaming from a complex near his home and ran toward the sound, according to an account published by the academy and shared again this week by Good News Network.
What happened
According to the academy, the 25-year-old, who could not swim, had entered the shallow end of the pool and drifted into deeper water, where he sank. A family member went in to help and began struggling, too.
Jerge jumped the fence and went into the water. He first reached the father, who was floating face down, and pulled him out. Then he spotted the son lying unconscious on the bottom of the deep end and brought him to the surface.
Jerge began CPR right away. The son soon expelled water and began breathing on his own. Foster City Police and San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department crews arrived, and the young man was conscious and talking with first responders before he was taken to a hospital, the academy said.
Good News Network quoted the cadet describing the moment: “I pulled him out, I heard more screaming.”
Recognition for a quick decision
The academy’s superintendent, retired Rear Adm. Eric C. Jones, praised Jerge’s response. In the academy’s account, Jones said the cadet’s “swift, decisive actions” embody the values the school teaches. Good News Network reported that the Foster City Police Department also gave Jerge a lifesaving commendation.
The rescued family thanked him and told officials the outcome would likely have been very different without his help, according to the academy. San Francisco Bay Area station KTVU also featured the rescue.
Training that matters
Cal Poly Maritime Academy, in Vallejo, California, trains cadets for careers at sea and in maritime industries, where water safety and emergency response are part of the job. Jerge’s story shows how that kind of training, combined with the courage to act, can save lives far from a ship.
It is the kind of everyday heroism we love to share. Earlier this week we told the story of an 84-year-old pianist who kept her promise to play for rehab patients, and our roundup of this week’s bright spots includes a rescue at sea.
Why it matters for families
Drowning can happen quickly and quietly, even in a backyard or apartment pool, and even to adults. A few simple steps can help keep loved ones safe:
- Learn to swim: swimming lessons are valuable at any age, including for adults who never learned.
- Learn CPR: community classes from groups such as the American Red Cross and the American Heart Association teach hands-on skills that can keep someone alive until help arrives.
- Watch the water: designate an adult to watch swimmers without distractions such as phones.
- Call for help first: if someone is in trouble, call 911 and use a flotation device or pole if you can; untrained rescuers can be pulled under, as happened to the father in this story.
Has someone ever stepped in to help your family in an emergency? Share your story in the comments.
Read more: 84-year-old pianist keeps her promise to play for rehab patients
Sources: Good News Network, “‘I pulled him out, I heard more screaming’ – How a Cadet Saved a Father and Son from Drowning” (November 11, 2026); Cal Poly Maritime Academy, “Cal Poly Maritime Academy cadet saves two from drowning” (August 24, 2026); KTVU, “Cal Poly Maritime Academy senior cadet saves father and son from drowning” (video)
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