A woman jumps into action to save 3 girls from drowning in Lake Washington, proving that sometimes being in the right place at the right time can mean everything to someone fighting for their next breath. And it means bookworms can also be heroes. 

College student Lillie Vehling hadn't planned on becoming anyone's hero that July afternoon. She was sitting in Seattle's Genesee Park with a book, waiting for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels air show to begin.

College Student Spots Three Girls Struggling in the Water

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She read a page and then glanced toward the water, and something in her eyes didn’t look right. She saw three girls far from shore, near the buoy lane, bobbing desperately as they struggled to breathe. One was pushing the others beneath the water in her panic to stay above it. Lillie knew what she was seeing. They were drowning. 

“I knew I had to jump in,” she said. Thankfully, Lillie wasn't an ordinary swimmer. She had lifeguard training and played water polo at the University of California, Davis, and was born to live in the water. But knowing how to save someone and choosing to swim toward three drowning children are two very different things.

Woman Saves 3 Girls From Drowning in Lake Washington

“To save three people, I didn’t think twice about myself,” Lillie said. “I’m just glad everyone’s safe.”

She reached the girls and began bringing them back to shore one at a time. But when Lillie returned for the third girl, the scene had become terrifyingly still because the little girl was tangled in a buoy rope. Only the top of her head and her black hair remained visible above the water. She knew she needed to move fast. 

“By the time I had gotten to the third girl, it was just the top of her head that was there,” Lillie said.

The girl was unconscious as Lillie lifted her face from the water, slipped an arm beneath her, and held her up. Incredibly, she woke up, and by the time first responders arrived, all three girls were out of the lake and safely on shore. 

Community Honors Lillie for Her Extraordinary Courage

Later, Seafair President and CEO Emily Cantrell learned what the college student with the book had done and tracked her down. Festival officials honored Lillie at a gala and gave her a fitting new title: “Lady Guardian of Lake Washington.” As a bookworm, this makes me smile so much. 

“What she did was extraordinary,” Emily said. Extraordinary indeed. 

You can’t argue she was placed there at the right time for this miracle to unfold. Lillie became the angel in human skin they needed. And it reminds me there are moments when loving our neighbor asks us to notice what everyone else might miss and then move toward someone who desperately needs help. 

Lillie didn't know those girls' names when she entered the water. She only knew they needed someone willing to swim toward them and lift them to safety. 

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“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 

WATCH: Woman Jumps Into Action to Save 3 Girls From Drowning in Lake Washington

LISTEN: 12-Year-Old Girl Saves Friend After She Has a Seizure in Ocean | 12-Year-Old Boy Recovering After Shark Attack Thanks to His Brother

h/t: People

Featured Image Credit: YouTube/KOMO News

Heather Riggleman is a believer, wife, mom, author, social media consultant, and full-time writer. She lives in Minden, Nebraska with her kids, high school sweetheart, and three cats who are her entourage around the homestead. She is a former award-winning journalist with over 2,000 articles published. She is full of grace and grit, raw honesty, and truly believes tacos can solve just about any situation. You can find her on GodUpdates, iBelieve, Crosswalk, Hello Darling, Focus On The Family, and in Brio Magazine. Connect with her at www.HeatherRiggleman.com or on Facebook.