Off-duty officer honored after saving 4-year-old girl from drowning at community pool

Duluth officer honored for saving 4-year-old girl

A Duluth police officer was honored Friday for saving a 4-year-old girl from drowning during what was supposed to be a relaxing summer day by the pool.

DULUTH, Ga. - A relaxing summer day at the pool quickly turned into a life-or-death situation when a 4-year-old girl jumped into the water without her floaties and didn’t resurface. Fortunately, an off-duty Duluth police officer noticed the child was in trouble and jumped in to save her life.

That officer, Preston Marsh, was honored Friday for his heroic actions during a ceremony at Piedmont Eastside Hospital, part of the hospital’s new First Friday Heroes program recognizing community members who go above and beyond.

What they're saying:

"It was a Sunday, and we were just hanging out around the pool," Marsh recalled. "Just as everybody was talking, I was just looking around and happened to see her go into the water and not come back up. It looked like she was struggling under the water."

Marsh, who was attending a birthday party with friends and other off-duty officers, sprinted across the pool deck and dove in without hesitation. He pulled the child to safety within moments.

The girl’s mother, stunned by the incident, later expressed her gratitude in a statement: "I truly don’t know what would have occurred had he not been on high alert and jumped in to save my sweet 4-year-old."

Marsh, a father himself, said the situation hit close to home. "She’s a young mom, just like my wife," he said. "Things happen, so I just did what any parent would do in that moment."

During the ceremony, Duluth Police Chief Jacquelyn Carruth alongside hospital staff praised Marsh for his quick thinking and compassion, even while off duty.

"Policing is a lifestyle choice. You can’t really turn it off, and what he did was just an example of that," said Carruth.

Duluth Police Officer Preston Marsh. Courtesy of the Duluth Police Department.

Despite the accolades, Marsh remained humble, saying he was simply in the right place at the right time.

"Now being in a law enforcement background and having been in a fireman background, and having family that’s also in public service, a lot of guys do this every day," he said. "So I’m honored to be presented with an award and everything for the actions that I did."

Marsh also took the opportunity to reflect on how public safety professionals are often perceived.

"There is a misconception in what the media has put out about public safety altogether," he said. "We’re all just people, and we’re all just sticking our necks out for other people as much as we can."

Though the child’s family was unable to attend the ceremony, they sent a message of appreciation, saying they are forever grateful for Officer Marsh’s attentiveness and bravery.