21-year old, Zion Leatham is being hailed by the City of Pickering as local hero after saving a man from drowning.
Earlier this week, Zion pulled a drowning man to shore, after the father of two swam about 40 m out into Lake Ontario attempting to retrieve a flotation device. A companion tried to rescue him, but after struggling herself, Zion quickly sprung into action, towing both back to shore, said a city statement on Instagram.
Zion, a former Pickering lifeguard and Aquatics Instructor, and current Camp Director was leading one of Pickering’s Youth Camps at Beachfront Park when the incident occurred.
Zion lives with his family in Pickering and is a 4th year Neuroscience student at the University of Guelph.
Pickering Mayor Dave Ryan and Members of Council praise Zion for his bravery, kindness, and for making Pickering proud.
This incident illustrates just how critical water safety is. Please pay attention to signage and safety equipment at the waterfront and note that the area is unsupervised, said the city statement.