A California college water polo star didn’t think twice when she spotted three young girls struggling in the water at a massive Seattle festival—and her quick actions turned her into an instant hero.
Lillie Vehling, a redshirt junior at UC Davis, was at Lake Washington on July 31 to watch the Blue Angels fly during the city’s chaotic Seafair Weekend Festival. That’s when she noticed the trio bobbing dangerously in deeper water near the buoy lane.
“They did not look very good,” Vehling later told Fox 13 Seattle. She saw one girl pushing the others down just to get a breath, and that’s when her lifeguard training kicked in.
Without hesitation, Vehling grabbed the most distressed swimmer and pulled her back to shallower water. Then she went back for the second girl. By the time she reached the third, only the top of the girl’s head was visible.
“I just saw her black hair in the water barely floating,” Vehling recalled. The girl was unconscious, and her leg was tangled in the buoy rope. Vehling lifted her head and raced to shore.
Once on land, the unidentified girl coughed up water and regained consciousness. Bystanders called 911, and one of the girls was taken to Seattle Children’s Hospital in stable condition.
Vehling’s father is a retired captain with the Los Angeles Fire Department, so she says her instincts were automatic. “To save three people, I didn’t think twice about myself,” she said. “I’m just glad everyone’s safe.”
Seafair CEO Emily Cantrell rushed to the scene after hearing about the rescue. “Immediately, she asked, ‘Are you okay?’ and ‘Can I give you a hug?’”
Vehling said. Cantrell later knighted her into the Seafair royal court.
Vehling just wrapped a career season with the Aggies, scoring 30 goals and 28 assists. She’s studying mechanical engineering and statistics, aiming for a career in the Nuclear Navy—inspired by her love for the Blue Angels. Cantrell even joked she hopes Vehling returns as a Blue Angels pilot one day.
What’s next for this water polo star turned real-life lifeguard?
