A Pickering man is being called a hero for helping rescue a person who was drowning.
The 21-year-old is a former lifeguard and didn’t hesitate to jump into the water when he saw a person in distress.
“The man was probably out around 40 metres into the water,” said Zion Leatham, while pointing out to the water at the Pickering Beachfront Park.
Leatham was currently running a day camp for the city last week when someone came along the beach, yelling, asking if there was anyone who could help.
“Someone just came up and said, ‘is anyone a good swimmer here?'” says Leatham.
“I looked and saw there was a person running into the water with a lifering, and a man struggling in the water”
Leatham worked as an aquatics instructor at the local recreation centre three years ago and instantly remembered what he had to do.
“He was going up and down in the water. He was doing that climbing motion that you learn about as a lifeguard.”
“The adrenaline kicked in and it was just like muscle memory,” he reflected.
The Pickering man couldn’t wait for help and jumped in the water, despite the fact he hasn’t been on the job for that long. But it was when he realized person swimming needed help as well. He knew he couldn’t waste any time.
“I saw her wearing the ring around her waist and asked her what she was doing,” he said.
“She told me she wasn’t a strong swimmer. I kind of got frustrated in a sense because she shouldn’t be out there, because she’s putting herself in danger.”
After quick thinking, the swimmer then had to help both people out of the water.
“I basically had to grab the lady, grab the man and tread water for about 25 metres until I was able to touch the floor.”
They were safely brought back to shore and treated.
The city of Pickering is now hailing Leatham as a hero. “We’re happy that Zion was here to save a life,” said Deputy Mayor Kevin Ashe.
It’s not the first time someone has used their lifeguarding skills off the job, according to the Lifesaving Society. The charitable organization works to prevent drowning and water-related injuries through training.
The Training Programs Director with the group, Perry Smith, says when you learn these skills, they stay with you.
“When you’re working, they are very attentive and watching. Even if they are not working, they tend to watch the water and look for people in distress,” says Smith.
“They are trained to always scan the surface of the water, and that can stick with them.”
No longer patrolling, Leatham is now studying neuroscience at the University of Guelph. The Pickering man says he just happened to be in the city working in the camp program — in the right place at the right time.
“At the end of the day, I’m just happy this man is okay and he’s comfortable to this day,” says Leatham.
Although the two swimmers were rescued, the Pickering beachfront is normally unsupervised. The city of Pickering wants to remind residents to always exercise caution and ensure you know where safety equipment is located.
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