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Boy Scout Saves Dad’s Life After Boulder Crashes Into Him

In the blink of an eye, tragedy can strike – especially in the wilderness. But when equipped with Scout training, life-threatening situations can quickly become life-saving. Scout training helped one Boy Scout keep calm and administer aid that saved his father’s life.

On August 17, Charlie F. and his father David set out for a backpacking and climbing trip near Ship Island Lake in Idaho when a refrigerator-sized boulder toppled over David.

The Scout’s dad attempted to avoid the crash, yet just as he started to jump away, the rock hit him and sent him charging down 30 feet of the mountain. Severely injured with a broken arm, heel, and back, along with a bone-exposing gash on his leg, David was in critical condition.

The 13-year-old Boy Scout administered medical attention for two days before embarking on what his father expected to be a 13-mile hike to the nearest ranger site. With a handwritten plea for assistance in tow, the Scout hiked three miles before he found help which airlifted David to a hospital.

“He did a good job,” David said to ABC News. “He’s been climbing and backpacking with me for years … He had a lot of training.”

Read the full story of how this young hero’s Boy Scout training helped save his dad’s life by heading to ABC News and check out the video below.

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Hayley

Hayley Cordaro is a communications specialist at the Boy Scouts of America. She loves sharing inspiring success stories and uncovering new ways volunteers and employees can make the most of their Scouting experience. If you have story ideas or questions, reach out to us at communications@scouting.org.