BRONZEVILLE — A sergeant with the Chicago Police Department sprung into action to save a boy from drowning at a graduation party, but said given the recent tragic loss of officers nationwide that she cannot claim to be a hero.
Sgt. Cindy Guerra was at a family member's graduation party in south suburban Orland Park Sunday when a young girl ran up and said her cousin was at the bottom of the home's pool, Guerra told reporters outside police headquarters in Bronzeville Monday.
"I saw this young man at the bottom of the pool," Guerra said. "I Immediately went in and grabbed him."
The boy, who is 12 or 13-years-old, Guerra said, was not breathing, so she performed CPR on the boy until he began to breathe and his heart began to beat. Paramedics came shortly after she was able to resuscitate the boy, Guerra said.
The boy, who is not related to Guerra, is expected to recover, Guerra said.
Guerra, a 22-year-veteran of the department, said her decision to jump into the pool with clothes and shoes on was probably due to her day job and time spent as a life guard many years ago, but admitted not much thought was put into the decision. She also said that she had previously taught a CPR class.
"I didn't think," she said. "I have a son that's the same age."
Her actions naturally lead to labels of 'hero,' but Guerra said she dismisses such talk given the recent attacks on officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge, where three officers were fatally shot Sunday.
She said the "real heroes" were the officers in Dallas and Baton Rouge who died in the line of duty.
"The hero pill is a little hard to swallow given the current climate," she said. "So many officers perform heroic acts every day."
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