What started as a relaxing day on the water nearly turned into tragedy when a kayaker spotted a child stranded alone in the middle of a river — allegedly abandoned by his intoxicated father.
According to local reports, the child had been taken out onto the river by his father, who had been drinking heavily. At some point, the father left the child on a small sandbar and drifted away in the boat, leaving him vulnerable and alone.
The boy, terrified and clinging to a rock, was spotted by a kayaker passing through the area. “At first, I thought it was just a kid playing,” the rescuer recalled. “But when I got closer, I realized he was crying and shouting for help.”
The kayaker immediately paddled over, lifted the child into safety, and brought him back to shore where emergency services were called. Authorities later confirmed the father was found downstream, heavily intoxicated, and taken into custody. He now faces charges including child endangerment and public intoxication.
Police praised the kayaker for quick thinking and bravery, noting that without intervention, the situation could have ended in tragedy. “The current was strong that day,” one officer said. “If that child had fallen in, the outcome might have been very different.”
The boy is now safe and has been placed with relatives while the case is investigated.
👉 What could have been a heartbreaking disaster became a story of heroism — thanks to one kayaker who refused to ignore a cry for help.