Teen Leaps Into Harbor to Save Exhausted Dog, Then Helps Reunite Him With His Family

June 22, 2026

A quick thinking teenager and a group of caring friends turned what could have been a frightening day into a happy reunion after rescuing a struggling dog from a Southern California harbor.

Mateo Akerman rescues George

Fifteen year old Mateo Akerman was spending the afternoon with friends on Balboa Island in Newport Beach when they noticed a dog named George wandering dangerously close to traffic. Moments later, the dog ended up in the water.

At first, George paddled through the harbor on his own. But as the group watched, it became clear the exhausted dog was having trouble making it back to shore.

Without hesitation, Mateo jumped into the harbor and swam out to George. When the exhausted dog could no longer keep going, the teen carried him back to safety. Friends captured the entire rescue on video.

Once safely on land, the rescue effort continued. Mateo and his friends wrapped George in a towel to help warm him up and checked the information on his collar. Using the phone number they found, they contacted the dog's owner and stayed by George's side until help arrived.

Before long, George was reunited with his grateful family.

“I have two dogs myself which I rescued when I was younger so I have an incredibly deep love for dogs. So when I saw a dog in danger I knew that I had to act because I know that if that was my dog I would want someone to do the same," Mateo told CBS LA.

Thankfully, neither George nor any of the rescuers were injured, and the adventurous pup appeared to recover quickly after his unexpected swim.