6-yr-old heard odd noise in backyard—when he looked around, he ran as fast as he could to save his little brother
Brothers somehow have a protective instinct that takes over them from a very young age. Once they’re endowed with the title of an older sibling, they can’t wait to shower their love and be there for their younger one. Six-year-old Bryce Forbes is being hailed hero for running straight past danger to save his little brother, per The Globe and Mail. The boy could have easily run away safely but didn’t hesitate to think of his little brother and ensure he tried to rescue him. What followed was a dramatic and narrow escape for the brothers.
Bryce was walking to the garage when he heard a noise. When he turned around to look, he astonishingly spotted a cougar in the backyard and was frightened. "He just heard something. He looked around, and crouched down coming at him from the back of the vehicle about five feet away was this cougar," said Cameron, Bryce’s dad. However, he responded in a way no other 6-year-old or perhaps any other kid would. The little boy bravely ran past the animal and narrowly escaped with his 5-year-old little brother. The latter had been playing in the backyard and was lucky to be saved.
"Rather than take the three steps and run in the house, he turned and ran, I don't know, another 40 to 50 feet past the cat back outside to get his little brother,” he remarked. Running to the house, the duo quickly dialed his parents who were a few meters away. He spoke to his mom and revealed there was a “baby cougar” in their backyard, per a press release. The parents soon rushed onto the scene and the dad called the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) who shot the cougar. The latter was 18 months old and undersized for its age. Cameron noted that he was super proud of his son but regretted not being present with them.
“They're your kids, of course, you're always proud. But at the same time, as a dad, you wish the story was that you know, you saw the cat and pulled on your cape and went out there and laid a whooping on him and saved your kids,” he remarked. Then-Environment Minister Barry Penner presented the boy with a badge and cap from the B.C. Conservation Service to commend his quick thinking and bravery to save himself and his brother, per a release. During the assembly, he also spoke with the youth and kids and used Bryce as an example of valor.
“It’s a real pleasure to meet a young man who stayed calm, didn’t panic and made the right moves to get his younger brother out of the way of danger. You recognized the danger and acted with coolness,” he noted. Penner shared a message, “Cougars are beautiful, powerful, intelligent animals that deserve our respect and admiration. However, they can be very dangerous and it’s good for people, especially young people who are more vulnerable to know how to handle themselves if they come in contact with one of the big cats.”