{"id":22230,"date":"2024-12-06T17:43:03","date_gmt":"2024-12-06T17:43:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/popularnews71.net\/?p=22230"},"modified":"2024-12-06T17:45:36","modified_gmt":"2024-12-06T17:45:36","slug":"7-year-old-swims-for-an-hour-to-get-help-for-dad-and-sister-stranded-in-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/popularnews71.net\/?p=22230","title":{"rendered":"7-year-old swims for an hour to get help for dad and sister stranded in river"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A little boy is being hailed as a hero after he swam for an hour to get help for his family when they became stranded in a river.<\/p>\n

According to incredible reports, seven-year-old Chase Poust was out with his father, Steven, and four-year-old sister, Abigail, at the beginning of Memorial Day weekend on Friday, May 28.<\/p>\n

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The three took a boat to the St. Johns River near Mandarin Point in Jacksonville, Florida, and had anchored it. The plan was for Steven to do a spot of fishing while his two children swam nearby.<\/p>\n

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However, the current was stronger than Steven had realized, and before long seven-year-old Chase noticed Abigail \u2013 who was wearing a life jacket \u2013 had been pulled away from the boat.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe current was so strong that my sister \u2014 she usually hangs out at the back of the boat \u2014 and she let go. So, I let go of the boat and grabbed her, and then, I was stuck,\u201d Chase said in an exclusive interview with news channel WJXT.<\/p>\n

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Though Chase wasn\u2019t wearing a life jacket, he let go of the boat to try and help his sister. Steven also jumped into the water in an attempt to grab his daughter, but she continued to drift away.<\/p>\n

\u201cI told them I loved him because I wasn\u2019t sure what\u2019s going to happen. I tried to stick with both of them. I wore myself out. She drifted away from me.\u201d, Steven explained to News4Jax.<\/p>\n

Chase was terrified, but he was able to swim to shore, alternating between doggie paddle and floating on his back to ensure he didn\u2019t become too exhausted to keep his head above water.<\/p>\n

All told, the young boy swam against the current for an hour until he made it to dry land. From there, he ran for help.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI screamed for help at the top of my lungs and waved my arms and sure enough someone heard us. Little man also made it to shore and got help and that\u2019s what saved our lives.\u201d, Steven explained.<\/p>\n

Steven and Abigail were rescued one hour later with the help of the Sheriff\u2019s Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, having drifted a mile away from their boat.<\/p>\n