Marietta Police Department Officer Ryan Smith was in the right place at the right time.
Now, he’s being recognized for his heroism after he sprang into action.
Smith, who is nearly 26 years old, was at Canoe Restaurant with his girlfriend and her mom on Saturday (May 8). That’s when he noticed someone drifting on a deflated float in the water nearby. The woman appeared to be in danger of drowning.
The off-duty officer recalled what happened, speaking with 11 Alive for a story shared on Monday (May 10). Here’s what Smith told the station:
“We saw this woman just coming down on her float and it looked deflated. We were asking if she needed help, and it looked like she was nodding.”
“Me and one of the workers at Canoe, actually. I just basically took off my watch and my shirt, everything. We both went in and swam out to her.”
Smith said he has seven years of experience as a lifeguard, which helped prep him for water rescues. 11 Alive notes that the woman was OK and was given food and a blanket at the restaurant after Smith and the restaurant manager pulled her to safety.
Photo: Getty Images