Kayaker heard a scream and found a 6-year-old boy alone in the river. His split-second decision saved the boy as he started to turn blue
There’s something unspoken to the outdoors, something seasoned adventurers learn to trust. For many like David Jones Jr., time on the water is not just a hobby; it’s a place where instincts become sharp, and senses get better. The experience turned out to be life-changing for someone when fishing on the St. Louis River turned into a rescue. Jones, a kayaker, had set out with nothing more on his mind than getting a fish, per CBS News.
He recalled, "I hit the record button on my phone and I was fighting the fish for 8 or 9 minutes maybe and that's when I heard the scream." A terrified voice in the middle of a vast river is not something that you expect and Jones immediately looked around and spotted a small figure struggling. A 6-year-old boy was floating in the middle of the river, separated from his parents’ sailboat.
"I had that sense of urgency that I needed to drop what I'm doing and kayak over there and get that kid to safety," he said while talking to WCCO-CBS Minnesota. When he reached him, the danger was clear and it was crucial to take him 300 yards to safety.
"I believe he was in the early stages of hypothermia. He couldn't remember how old he was. He could barely remember his name," Jones said. "His face was turning blue and he was constantly telling me how cold he was." The air temperature was around 57 degrees and every minute in the water increased the risk for the child. Research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that, for ages 1-4, drowning remains the leading cause of death and for children 5-14, it is second. More than 4,000 unintentional drowning deaths occur in the U.S. every year, many of them preventable through life jackets, supervision and formal swim lessons.
With every stroke of his paddle, Jones worked to steady the boy, physically and emotionally. In the video he shared on Instagram, his voice can be heard urging the child to stay strong and the boy did. "Seeing the strength that kid had, and he didn't give up. For him, to scream as loud as he could in that matter to get help, that kid is the real hero,” Jones said. “That kid is really strong. That kid is the one who needs all the love and support." Authorities later confirmed that the boy had separated from his father’s sailboat and strong currents and wind prevented the parent from navigating back. The boy had told his parent he would swim to shore, but the current carried him away instead.
After the rescue video went viral, messages poured in from around the world. One Instagram user, @blile772, wrote, "Good on you bro. This is heartbreaking to watch this kid in such a terrifying situation. You did great." Another, @tinaolio, added, "So glad you were there and responded. Hero!"
Jones, a father himself, feels it was the child who showed the greatest courage that day and became a hero. But for all the people who watched the video, no doubt disaster was only avoided because one person paid attention to a sound that could have been ignored.