Zion Jerge saves father and son from drowning in Foster City

What is the background?

For Zion Jerge, a call for help came from close to home. The senior Marine Transportation cadet heard screams from a swimming pool in Foster City, California, and ran towards them.

His father shared the story with Small Good Things: Zion entered the water, rescued two people and began CPR when one was unconscious. Both survived. It is a story about an individual’s courage, with a wider reason to pay attention: emergency preparation can matter far beyond a classroom.

What happened?

The academy’s August 24 account identifies the son as a 25-year-old who could not swim. He had moved from shallow water into deeper water. His father entered to help and also got into difficulty.

Zion removed the father first, then brought the son out of the deep end. The son was unconscious. Zion began CPR, and the man started breathing again.

How did it happen?

Zion’s response connected three actions: noticing an emergency, getting people out of danger and providing immediate help. His father described water coming from the son’s mouth before breathing resumed. That describes the reported sequence; it is not a CPR technique or an instruction to try to remove water.

The academy says Foster City police and San Mateo Consolidated Fire Department personnel responded. The son was conscious and speaking before being taken to hospital.

Why does it matter?

The most important result belongs to the family: two people survived. Recognition gives the wider community a chance to think about its own readiness.

The American Heart Association’s resuscitation guidance explains that cardiac arrest following drowning requires CPR with breaths and chest compressions. Oxygen deprivation makes breathing support particularly important. This is general clinical context, not a claim about which specific techniques Zion used.

Training helps turn willingness into practical ability. Readers interested in that lesson can seek recognised CPR and water-safety instruction, with opportunities to practise and refresh their skills. Reading a rescue account cannot provide that practical assessment.

What were the key results?

• Two people were rescued from the pool.
• Both survived, according to Zion’s father.
• Zion gave CPR to the unconscious son.
• The academy reports that the son resumed breathing.
• Foster City police and San Mateo Consolidated Fire personnel attended.
• KTVU featured Zion in an interview published on August 28, 2026.

What happens next?

Zion’s father says Foster City Police Department honoured his son. KTVU’s interview listing also describes his recent recognition. Its August 28 publication date should not be confused with the date of the rescue.

The family has offered an interview and additional material. We can update this article with confirmed details about the timeline and Zion’s preparation. No follow-up interview has yet taken place for this article.

What can readers learn about water safety?

The American Red Cross advises helping from a safe position with a reaching aid or something that floats, rather than entering the water and becoming another casualty. Call emergency services and follow the dispatcher’s instructions. In the United States, call 911.

Swimming instruction, attentive supervision and CPR training are practical ways to prepare before an emergency. For this story, the constructive lesson is preparation paired with care for others. Zion’s actions deserve recognition without treating a dangerous water entry as a model for an untrained bystander.