A Kayaker Rescues A Frightened 6-Year-Old Boy Who's Alone In The Water

July 15, 2022

A kayaker found a 6-year-old boy swimming alone in the St. Louis River and helped him back to safety after he was separated from his parent's sailboat.

The rescue was captured on the kayaker's body camera.

This is what DJ Jones wrote on his Instagram account:

"So yesterday I had this feeling of wanting to fish the St. Louis river from the boy scout landing. As I got to the ramp there were 2 different married couples fishing. And a father in his sail boat while his son swam right beside it. As I got into the water everything seemed to be okay at least at the moment. The wind picked up and so did the waves at a swift rate. I watched as the father pulled his anchor. While doing so his son continued swimming as the next time I looked his dad was gone. As I was hooked into what I believe at the time was a sturgeon. I heard this scream that no parent ever wants to hear. The sound was a child screaming for his life as he's being swept away by the current. I then bit my fishing line and paddled as quickly as I could to the 6 year old kid. Other than his dads sail boat hundreds of yards away I was the only watercraft in eye sight. I quickly got the kid to calm down and onto shore. I was worried about how cold he was telling me he felt so I contacted emergency medical services. I stayed long enough to watch law enforcement and his father reunited with his son."

Officers interviewed the child's parent and learned they were sailing on the river when the boy wanted to swim next to the boat, holding an attached rope. The boy lost hold of the rope, and the wind pushed the sailboat away from the boy.

Watch the video below.