Mayor Bill Peduto Honors City Lifeguards For Going Above And Beyond

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- City lifeguards were honored by Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto today for saving a man's life as well as saving a little boy that was abducted.

More than a dozen lifeguards were honored with certificates of service for their bravery.

This group working at the city's Sue Murray Pool and Highland Park pools gave new meaning to going above and beyond.

"The lifeguards activated the emergency action plan and 9-1-1 was called," said Citiparks Assistant Director Luann Horan.

It was mid-July at the Highland Park Pool when guards noticed a 65-year-old man swimming with his grandson was submerged underwater and not moving. They quickly pulled the man from the bottom of the pool.

"The man was not breathing and did not have a pulse when he was pulled from the water," added Horan.

Once EMS arrived, they took over, administered CPR and the man was revived.

Near the end of July at the Sue Murray Pool, guards saved a 9-year-old boy abducted from outside of the pool.

"He was swimming at the pool with his cousin and a group of friends when a woman approached them and told the staff he was his aunt," said Horan.

Public Safety said the woman befriended the child and his cousin, took them to a gas station across the street to buy them candy and then took off with the little boy.

Guards acted quickly again, running after the woman and scaring her. The boy was left behind safely, but when she took off on a bus, the guards never gave up.

"Dominic noticed her on a bus and told the driver to stop. The police were on the scene and instructed the woman to get off the bus and then arrested her," said Horan.

The mayor and public safety director told the group their future looks bright and offered them some advice.

"As the director of public safety, I'm hoping maybe we can get some paramedics, EMTs and future police officers out of this group," said Wendell Hissrich, Pittsburgh Public Safety Director.

"I hope this summer has proven to you and it has given you that ability to understand that that greatness is inside of you," Mayor Peduto said.