On the evening of August 2nd, 2014, 10-year-old scout, John Ryan Samarra, his older brother William, and a friend went to play at their favorite stream near Mark Tubbs park in Lima, NY. The water, which usually only runs ankle deep, was knee-high due to excessive rains. William decided to go wading in the water. The current was swift, but not dangerous. Suddenly a flash flood came and swept him off of his feet. William was able to grab a tree branch that was over the water, but the current was too powerful to pull himself to shore. While clinging to the branch, William called out to his brother that he needed help.
John Ryan and his friend looked for sticks to extend to William, but nothing suitable was to be found. John Ryan knew that his older brother was a strong swimmer, and that if William couldn’t fight the current, he certainly shouldn’t go into the water. This was something he learned as a Cub Scout: when rescuing someone, never put yourself in peril because then there would be two victims.
The next thing John Ryan did was to tell his friend to stay with William while he ran for help – another thing he learned in scouts. Because the stream was in a remote area of the park, John Ryan had to run back to the path in search of help. While John Ryan was gone, William lost his grip and was swept further downstream. He managed to grab another tree branch. The friend watching over William had never been a Boy Scout. He panicked and ran away, leaving William alone.
By now, the park was closed and deserted. John Ryan ran up the path toward the park entrance when he happened to come across the park caretaker who was walking his dog. John Ryan calmly told the man that his brother was in trouble and needed help. They ran to the stream together, and once they got there, the man realized that the raging water was much too strong even for him to attempt a rescue. He immediately called 911.
Moments later, the Lima fire alarm could be heard in the distance. William, still clinging on to the branch with all his might, knew that it was for him. Help was on the way. Unfortunately, because the stream was so far off of the path, the EMTs were having trouble finding the boys.
William had been in the freezing water for over twenty minutes. Much debris, that the flash flood unearthed, pelted him as it rushed by, and a large log hit him very hard. Still, he managed to keep his grip. John Ryan and his friend began yelling for help so the EMTs could find them.
The water was so high by now that it was spraying in William’s face and he could not see very well. John Ryan began yelling to William to keep him engaged and make sure that he was still OK — another tactic that is taught in Boy Scouts. The roar of the water was so loud that it was hard to hear John Ryan, but William knew that his brother was still there on shore keeping an eye on him.
Then William cried out to John Ryan saying that he was very cold. The man was still on the phone talking to 911, guiding the EMTs to their location and John Ryan knew that William was now very tired and in serious danger. He must have been terrified, knowing that his brother may drown, but just like he learned in scouts, he didn’t panic. Instead he used his vantage point up on the shore to assess the situation. Then he had an idea! “William, climb on top of the branch,” he shouted. William heard him, mustered all the strength he could, and pulled himself on top of the branch. Exhausted, he rested for a while, but he was still in a precarious situation. Now that he was out of the water, hypothermia started to set in fast. William was still out of John Ryan’s reach, so he knew what he must do: shimmy on top of the thin branch and pull himself to shore. He did this and was finally safely on land.
John Ryan was so glad that his brother was out of danger. He gave William a big hug. The body heat was helpful, as William was blue and hypothermic. The man on the phone turned around and was surprised to see William crouched on the ground hugging himself to keep warm — another scout skill.
It was now dark, and the temperature was dropping. The first responder to arrive, fireman Dave Kirkwood, saw how pale blue William was and he immediately took off his own shirt and put it on William for warmth. Then the fireman instructed the man who called 911 to take the sweater, that was tied around his waist, and also put it on William. Later the man confessed that he was embarrassed that he didn’t think of that sooner. Even adults sometimes don’t think of all the solutions in a crisis.
William was too weak to walk. So they waited while the fire department reached them with a small vehicle that had tank-like treads for driving on rough terrain. William and John Ryan’s parents, who had been called, were waiting in the parking lot and were very worried. When the vehicle finally reached the parking lot, there were over 6 emergency vehicles waiting. They put
William into an ambulance and covered him with dry towels. His dad climbed in and gave him a big hug. He remembers how cold his son felt and how blue his skin was. The ambulance took William to the hospital, where he made a full recovery.
The firemen remarked at how impressed they were with John Ryan’s actions. He did everything right and saved his brother’s life.
On May 3rd, 2016, Scout Executive Stephen T. Hoitt presented John Ryan with an award for lifesaving from the National Office of the Boy Scouts of America. The certificate was signed by Robert M. Gates, president of the BSA. John Ryan also received a Lifesaving medal from the Lima Fire Department and a commendation from Troop 105 in Mendon, NY for his bravery that led to saving his brother’s life.
Worldwide, Scouting teaches all its members important survival skills for just this kind of situation. If it wasn’t for his brother, William could have died that day… that day when John Ryan Samarra lived the scout motto: Be Prepared.
