Warden

Department of Fish and Wildlife

5/29/2004

Special Act Award (Gold)

On May 29, 2004, at 11:00 a.m., California Department of Fish and Game Warden Mary Elizabeth Gregory was talking to a fisherman on the west side of Pacific Coast Highway near Batiquitos Lagoon in San Diego County when she heard someone crying for help. A 13 year old boy was being swept out to sea by a strong current. This particular area is known for its strong rip tides, and the boy’s life was in immediate danger. Warden Gregory grabbed the man’s fishing pole and ran along the rocky bank toward the boy, who was now approximately 40 yards from the open ocean. Placing her life in jeopardy, Warden Gregory jumped into the water fully clothed in her uniform, body armor, gun belt, boots, phone and radio and began swimming toward the boy with fishing pole in hand. While the body armor vest was buoyant, her equipment became saturated and began to weigh her down in the water. Warden Gregory saw the boy go under the water once, and feared he would go under again if she wasn’t able to reach him in time. Fortunately, she got close enough for the boy to grab the fishing pole and pull himself to her. Heavily weighted and with the boy hanging on her shoulder, Warden Gregory had the strength and resolve to swim against the current and pulled the boy to the rocky shore. The boy, who turned 14 the following day, was unharmed but badly shaken. As a result of Warden Gregory’s quick action, the life of this boy was saved.