Saturday was the first time Tortosa mom Natalie Davis brought her four kids to the Copper Sky Aquatic Center. And it was the second time a local 16-year-old lifeguard saved a child’s life in the month since he got the job.

Davis brought her kids aged 16, 9, 7 and 5 to the community pool for several hours to soak in the almost-summer sun. Much of the day was spent with her watching her youngest, while her older children made rounds in the lazy river with their friends.  

After a few hours, 9-year-old Jude asked her mother if she could take off her puddle jumpers: “I fought with her for a little bit but finally decided that she was old enough and smart enough to stay in the areas that she was supposed to stay in,” Davis explained.  

One of Jude’s friends accidentally pulled her into a deeper section of the pool where she couldn’t touch the ground. Luckily, it didn’t go unnoticed by 16-year-old lifeguard Davian Herrera.

“The lifeguard noticed that she was bobbing in and out, and he immediately jumped in and pulled her out,” Davis said. “He said she had sucked in a ton of water … she was gasping and choking when he pulled her out.” 

City spokesperson Monica Williams told InMaricopa the child was about 4 feet from the nearest wall. She said Herrera and other lifeguards took Jude to the office and checked on her before they released her to her mother.

“We are forever grateful for him jumping in and saving her, because it was extremely busy that day and while it is his job to be paying attention, there were tons of kids that he could have maybe not noticed her as fast as he did,” Davis said.  

Herrera, who was the hero in a similar rescue May 16, said he is “very grateful to be recognized for serving the community and ensuring people’s safety at the pool.”

“We are proud of how Davian handled the situation and grateful to the parent who recognized his efforts,” Williams said. “Our lifeguards are trained to respond in moments like this, and we’re thankful for the care and focus they bring to their work every day to keep our aquatic center guests safe.”