Teen noticed 65-year-old swimming in a lake wasn't looking well — she stepped in to save him just in time

At a time when things can go haywire rapidly, every second counts and this teenager's swift action rendered life-saving

PUBLISHED JUL 10, 2025

(L) Elderly man looking uneasy while swimming. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images| Stefan Tomic), (R) Teenage girl spotting something unusual by lake shore. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images| OR Images)

A 12-year-old girl is being praised for her sharp and astute action that rendered life-saving for a 65-year-old man at Port Dover beach, per Windsor Star. The girl spotted the man behaving unusually and immediately stepped into action to save his life. Her response before medical emergencies could arrive added to the man’s survival chances. Another bystander quickly joined her to help and their kindness and humane actions are rightly being praised online. According to Stop Drowning Now, it takes as little as 20-60 seconds and in as little as 2 inches of water for a person to drown.

Elderly man swimming in water. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by David Jackle)

There are around 320,000 annual drowning deaths worldwide. In the US, around 3,500 to 4,000 people drown per year, reported the organisation. That means an average of 10 fatal drownings take place per day. It was also noted that drowning was the third leading cause of unintentional injury death. While children are at a higher risk, men reportedly have a greater risk of drowning compared to women. Males reported twice the overall mortality rate due to drowning. While several factors cause drowning, this 65-year-old man's case could have been a serious one due to his medical condition.

Teenage girl looking at something worrisome while standing at shore. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by kaisersosa67)

Nicholas Leclere, the bylaw and security officer of Commissionaires, Hamilton, revealed that he was notified about the elderly man in distress, per CTV News. The officer was first told that it was suspected the man was having a heart attack. Before he arrived on the scene, the teenage girl was already at work. The officer presumed that the girl was the man’s relative and spared no effort in acting bravely. She noticed the man swimming in Lake Erie seemed to have some medical issues. The 12-year-old waited for no signal or hesitation and quickly stepped into action. She got the man out of the water while emergency services were alerted.

Man adminsitering CPR on unconscious person. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by Akarawut Lohacharoenvanich)

The girl managed to successfully get the man to the shore, where another bystander saw the scenario unfold and rushed to help. They immediately administered CPR to the man and revived him before the medics arrived. He was then taken to a hospital and luckily had no serious injuries reported. The Norfolk Police praised the bystander and the teenage girl for their brave and smart work in saving a life. Sharing in a post on Facebook, they wrote, “A swimmer has been rescued from Lake Erie thanks to the quick-thinking actions of a 12-year-old family member and a nearby bystander.”

It was further added that the 12-year-old “recognized signs of distress” and “pulled the individual back to shore, where a bystander performed CPR and revived the individual.” “Norfolk OPP commends the swift and courageous actions of both the young rescuer and bystander,” the police said. The officers also issued advice, saying, “OPP would also like to remind the public to remain vigilant when swimming. Swimmers are strongly encouraged to wear personal flotation devices (PFDs), swim with a companion, and when possible, choose locations supervised by trained lifeguards.”