MURRAY, UTAH (KSL) – A Good Samaritan is being hailed as a hero after diving into a Utah creek to save a young boy swept away by rushing water.
Murray City Fire Department Assistant Chief Chad Pascua said the boy was at the park with his family and that he fell in when his mother turned around for a moment.
“One second she saw the child and the next she didn’t,” Pascua said.
The water carried him about a quarter-mile. An adult bystander, Harlan Wheeler, was able to pull the young boy out with the assistance of a police officer who was nearby.
“I think he risked his life to save this child and I think that defines a hero,” Pascua said.
Wheeler said he saw the child face down in the water and knew he needed to act fast.
“I saw this object floating in the water,” he said. “I looked at it again and saw that it was a kid.”
It is estimated the child was in the water for up to two minutes and is in serious condition. First responders are reminding parents to be vigilant.
“The river is flowing really really high,” Pascua said. “It’s really slippery around the edges and kids can fall in.”
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