As the shadows lengthened on a late summer evening in April 2021 at the West Green Lake swimming area, Ben Ramsay ’14 sat with a friend on the diving platform, paddleboards bobbing beneath their feet. The only people nearby were two high schoolers playing in the water on the opposite side of the platform. Then, Ben heard one of the teens tell his friend to stop joking around. The teen's tone quickly changed as he began yelling for help while swimming to shore. Confused as to what was happening, Ben and his friend jumped on their boards and paddled toward where the teens has been playing in the water. Ben's friend put his paddle in the water and yelled to a drowning teen that they could not see beneath the shadowy water. However, Ben noticed a trickle of bubbles emerging from the dark, murky water. He realized what that meant and made the split-second decision to dive in.  

Recently, I sat down with Ben to hear the rest of this story and its effect on him three years later. Here’s what he had to say.

What happened next?

As I followed the trickle of bubbles further and further down, out of the darkness emerged an unconscious form slumped on the bottom of the lake: it was the high schooler. I grabbed their arm and kicked hard to bring us back up. Upon breaching the surface, I flipped them onto my chest and kicked hard with what energy I had left to keep both our heads above water. As my strength faded, our heads began to sink, and I was planning my last breath, a woman on a paddleboard intercepted us. I grabbed her board, and she paddled us to shore. As we stumbled out of the water and I tried to catch my breath, I could feel the coursing adrenaline paired with absolute exhaustion and knew my work was done. However, the paddleboarder, who happened to be a nurse, knew exactly what to do. She took over and, in minutes, the paramedics were on the scene attempting to revive the teen. As the ambulance whisked them away and I provided a police report, I was informed by the officer how risky this effort was—rescues like this commonly lead to double drownings.

How did this experience change you?

Looking back on it, although risky and not an action I'd advocate others to take lightly, I am proud of the choice I made in the moment. While it's easy to speculate on what we might do in a life-or-death scenario, it's profoundly rewarding to meet the challenge and instinctively take action when truly confronted. This experience tested me in many ways, but having the courage to do what’s right, on principle, despite every reason not to, was a powerful reflection of the values I strive to uphold and my unwavering commitment to them, even under pressure. Ultimately, I believe it offers an unfiltered glimpse into the glass-half full mentality that was instilled in my upbringing and gives me strength to maintain that disposition, even on my darkest days, knowing that someone is alive because of my efforts.

In the weeks following the rescue, I experienced PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) symptoms for the first time and was ever thankful for the support of family and friends. When I won the Carnegie Award, I was moved by the stories of many award winners who faced similarly difficult choices, even of some who sacrificed their lives in the effort to do what they believed was right. It was sobering and humbling to be honored amongst the acts of people who so naturally gave their last full measure of devotion to try and save another. It reinforced the value of relationships and that nothing in this life is guaranteed―everything could change in a moment.

And while it’s uplifting to be recognized for my actions, I can’t help but think of the countless heroes whose stories go unnoticed, who may never receive thanks, and whose only reward is the quiet satisfaction of knowing they did what was right. Any one of us has the potential to be one of these heroes, guided by the integrity of doing what is right, even when no one is watching.

How has UPrep influenced your life journey?

I felt very nurtured at UPrep for the seven years I attended and I credit the school, along with my parents, for many of the values I hold today. As I get older and come to better understand myself, I am still discovering the ways in which UPrep influenced me. I was curious about math and physics, and my teachers encouraged me and matched my energy and passion for these subjects. They gave me the attention I needed to go beyond the curriculum, and when I attended Johns Hopkins, I felt prepared and equipped to engage in a wide variety of classes.

UPrep’s no-cut sports policy meant I could play basketball all four years of high school despite my impressive ability to pass the ball ... to the other team. I credit that policy for enabling me to feel confident joining pickup basketball games in college and I continue to have fun on the basketball court as an adult. As a goalkeeper for the soccer team during my senior year, I have fond memories of making saves as our team marched all the way to the state finals, ultimately placing second in the state. And in my first year coaching at UPrep, as fate would have it, the boys varsity soccer team got all the way back to the state finals, also placing second.

How are you making the most of your 20s?

The rescue reinforced for me that life is short and the way you spend your time while you have it is precious. After graduating with honors from John Hopkins with a biomedical engineering major, applied math and statistics major, and computer science minor, I quickly joined a startup and worked in data science role developing computer models under a DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency)-funded contract.

Covid threw everything about, including my ambitions at the startup, but it also presented an opportunity: a time to understand myself deeper and advance interests that a demanding traditional schooling hadn’t prioritized. I reconnected with old passions and started tutoring physics/math and coaching goalkeepers. In recent seasons, I’ve felt blessed to work with such a talented group of goalkeepers across UPrep’s soccer teams. 

Through tutoring and coaching, I’ve found it incredibly rewarding to help others overcome challenges and find new ways to push their potential. Few feelings compare to witnessing that lightbulb moment when all the pieces come together and someone achieves something they never knew was possible. It’s a feeling I felt many times in my UPrep STEM classes and as a student to the technological revolution I’ve seen throughout my lifetime. It’s been truly incredible to witness technology alter society through immense realized productivity gains, albeit with many negative externalities introduced along the way. And while this may apply to the iPhone as much as the steam engine, it’s the exponential acceleration of these technologies that is truly mind-boggling. As I integrate my love of STEM with the desire to empower others, I’m drawn to technology to find creative ways of turning challenges into opportunities. I aim to preserve that feeling of helping others achieve something never before thought possible. 

With continued progress, I hope that means creating a platform to empower artists to take control over their physical artwork in a digital world. I also want to motivate local communities to re-engage with art as a social fabric to meet one another and appreciate all the ways in which art can reflect what it means to be human. And while failure is probable, inevitable even, success lies in appreciating the journey, regardless of the outcome. When our focus shifts to growth and connection, failure and success become small parts of a much larger, more fulfilling process. And when we remember that each day, each breath even, is a gift, we’re reminded that the journey itself is the destination.

READ MORE ALUMNI PROFILES ON OUR ALUMNI PAGE.