The 5-year-old escaped without major injury.
If it wasn’t for a 14-year-old boy’s quick thinking actions, one mother’s son might not be here today.
Kristen’s Hemlock’s 5-year-old son Mason was hiking with two friends and his babysitter in Cope Park in Alaska on Wednesday when Mason’s foot slipped and he fell 15 feet off a cliff into fast-moving water below.
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Riley, 14, who saw want happened, knew he had to act.
“He flew down and I was like ‘Oh my God, that’s a really far drop. He hit a rock really hard. He then fell into the water,” Riley John told InsideEdition.com. “I really don’t know what I was thinking. I reacted as fast I could.”
Riley jumped into the freezing water to grab hold of Mason and when they reached a pool of still water he handed the child off to his friend Seth Gerrin. Seth then ran Mason to the paramedics.
“Mason doesn’t know how to swim. He said he tried to swim and it didn’t work,” Hemlock told InsideEdition.com. “They saved his life. He wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for Riley. He put his life on the line for Mason.”
The boys disappeared before anyone got a chace to thank them, however.
That’s when Hemlock wrote a Facebook post in a community group to try to find the heroes and Riley’s grandmother responded.
Hemlock was able to meet Riley on Friday at a short ceremony Riley's high school had to honor his heroic acts.
“I was able to thank him and that gave me peace with situation,” Hemlock said. "“I am incredibly grateful,"
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Miraculously Mason escaped the ordeal with a few minor scratches, but Riley’s bravery will remain etched in Hemlock’s mind forever.
“He’s only 14 and not many people think like that. He didn’t even think of his own safety,” Hemlock said.
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