A 75-year-old Campbell man has been recognized by the city for his heroic efforts in February.

George Bell was recognized at the April 4 city council meeting for pulling a woman from the Los Gatos Creek’s rushing waters on Feb. 9.

“Had it not been for the heroic actions of Mr. Bell, risking his own personal safety, the outcome would have been tragic,” Campbell Police Chief David Carmichael told the city council.

On that February morning a 77-year-old woman cycling along the Los Gatos Creek Trail fell into the creek, which was rushing far more than usual during the significant winter storms that battered the region that month. Rains caused the creek waters to rise high enough to flood parts of the trail, creating a rushing current, according to Carmichael. Parts of the trail were closed off due to flooding.

The woman, her bike and some personal belongings were swept up in the current.

Bell, who regularly walks along the trail picking up trash in his spare time, was 200 feet away from where the woman fell into the creek.

Bell waded into the creek and reached out to the woman with his trash grabber. He was able to pull her to safety and walk her to Campbell Park, where police officers met them.

Barret Scott, a passerby on the trail who saw Bell rescue the woman, met both of them at the park and tried to provide warmth to the soaked woman.

Carmichael said the woman and Bell were uninjured. The woman lost her keys in the creek, so police called a locksmith to assist her when she got home.

“Anyone would have done the same thing,” Bell said, adding the recognition by the city was “nice but unnecessary.”

Bell said he has not spoken to the woman since the incident.

Bell recalled how he phoned his wife, Kelly, shortly after the rescue to let her know he’d be arriving home later than usual after his trail walk.

“He said it got the adrenaline running a little bit,” Kelly said. “He thinks that anybody would do that, and I said no, not anyone.”

Kelly added he walks along the creek for exercise at least five times a week.

“His exercise includes picking up trash and saving lives,” Kelly said.