Cal Poly Maritime Academy cadet Zion Jerge, a senior in the Marine Transportation program, heard screams coming from a nearby apartment complex and didn’t hesitate.

He ran toward them.

What Jerge found was an emergency unfolding at a swimming pool near his home in Foster City. A  25-year-old man who could not swim had entered the shallow end of the pool and drifted into deeper water. Unable to stay afloat, he sank beneath the surface. A family member then entered the pool in an effort to help but also began struggling in the water.

“When I arrived at the pool, I saw the father floating face down. My body kind of just took over, like a fight-or-flight reaction, and I jumped over the fence and into the pool. I pulled the father out first because he was the one I saw first,” said Jerge.

“After I pulled him out, I heard more screaming and realized there was another man lying at the bottom of the deep end, which was his son he was trying to save. Once I pulled the son out of the pool, I realized he was unconscious.”

Jerge immediately began CPR on the unconscious man. A short time later, the man expelled water and began breathing on his own.

Foster City Police Department officers and San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department personnel responded to the scene. The man was conscious and able to speak with first responders before being transported to a hospital for further treatment.

The incident put into practice the kind of preparation, leadership and willingness to act that are central to the Cal Poly Maritime Academy experience.

“Cadet Jerge’s swift, decisive actions perfectly embody the core values we instill at the academy,” said Rear Adm. Eric C. Jones (Ret.), superintendent of Cal Poly Maritime Academy. “His ability to maintain composure under intense pressure, evaluate a rapidly evolving emergency and execute the rescue exemplifies the hands-on leadership and service to others we teach.”

The rescued man’s family later expressed its gratitude for Jerge’s actions, telling public safety officials that they believed the outcome would have been very different without his intervention.

Jerge’s response is a powerful example of leadership when it matters most: recognizing that someone needs help, stepping forward and taking action.

For two people in a Foster City swimming pool, his willingness to act made all the difference.