Sixteen-Year-Old Girl Saves Man’s Life in Daring Open-Water Rescue

At just 16 years old, Jamey Ruth Klassen did not stop to calculate fear, danger, or the odds against her. When she saw someone in trouble, she acted.

The incident occurred when a kayak capsized in rough open water, throwing 40-year-old Christopher Robertson into the waves. From the shore, witnesses could see that something was wrong. Robertson stopped moving, floating face-down as the water churned around him.

For Jamey, standing on shore, the situation looked terrifying and nearly impossible. The distance was long, the water rough, and she was alone. Still, she did not hesitate.

She plunged into the water and began swimming toward him, battling waves and exhaustion for more than 180 meters. Each stroke burned, and the current pushed back, but she kept going.

When she reached the spot, Jamey dove nearly three meters beneath the surface. There, she found Robertson unconscious. Using the last of her strength, she pulled him upward and managed to bring his head above water.

She was only sixteen. She was exhausted. And she was alone.

Holding him by the shoulder, Jamey kept his face above the waves while screaming for help, her strength fading with each second. Just in time, a paddleboarder heard her cries and rushed to assist. Together, they managed to bring Robertson safely back to shore.

Paramedics arrived shortly afterward and were able to revive him. He survived because Jamey refused to let go.

What began as an ordinary day ended as a life saved through sheer courage and determination.

In recognition of her extraordinary bravery, Jamey Ruth Klassen was awarded the Carnegie Medal, the highest civilian honor for heroism in North America. Yet no award can fully capture what she gave in that moment.

Her actions proved a powerful truth: heroism does not depend on size, age, or strength. Sometimes, it comes from a fearless heart willing to act when someone else cannot.

This is Jamey’s story—and it is one worth remembering.