Coast Guard Petty Officer Third Class John Rivera was off duty boating with his wife and friends on Memorial Day 2011 when he saw the aftermath of a watercraft accident and saw a young man floating in the water.

"I just jumped in, swam over to the victim and lifted his head above water until rescue got there,” Rivera said. "He was hurting. He was slipping in and out of consciousness."

PHOTOS: Coast Guard ceremony honoring Rivera

It wasn’t until Rivera and his wife, Carmen, got home that evening that he realized that the young man he had saved was none other than 21-year-old R&B artist Sean Kingston. 

Rivera received the Silver Lifesaving Medal on Tuesday from Coast Guard District Capt. Richard Kenin for his brave actions.

“The difference between a hero and someone else, is one watches and a hero takes action," Kenin said to the packed room of Rivera’s peers and family.

Rivera does not consider himself a hero. He said his training as a serviceman played a big part in what he did. Rivera has been in the U.S. Coast Guard for seven years. He works in its aviation division.

He said Kingston has called to personally to thank him, and so has his mother. They plan to get together one day soon when Kingston is back in town.

“I think it is fate that I was there with this type of training, and the time someone needed it. I was happy to help,” Rivera said.

Rivera also received a commendation from Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez for his bravery. 

Rivera’s wife, Carmen, and 5-year-old son, Jonathon, were there to witness his big day. 

The Silver Lifesaving Medal is awarded by the Commandant of the Coast Guard to any person who rescues, or endeavors to rescue, any other person from drowning, shipwreck or other peril of water. The rescue or attempted rescue must either take place in waters within the United States or subject to its jurisdiction, or one of the parties must be a citizen of the United States or be from a vessel or aircraft owned or operated by citizens of the United States.