LEADWOOD, Mo. — A twelve-year-old boy and his family have a fisherman to thank for helping to save the life of the boy Sunday night in the swollen Big River in Leadwood, Mo., about 65 miles south of St. Louis.
The boy got sucked into a drain pipe. His father, Dan Schutz, tried to pull him out, but the force of the water was too strong. Fisherman Robert Salsberry saw what was happening and tried to help, but the water was stronger than both men.
Despite their efforts, Lucas Schultz disappeared into the pipe.
“I grabbed a hold of his arm and we were both pulling and we couldn’t pull him back,” said Robert Salsberry, “I seen his shoe pop up. And his shoe floated down the river and I just started praying, Lord, push him through.”
After about two minutes, Lucas came out of the pipe. Salsberry chased him down the river, got him to a small island, and performed CPR. Lucas’ face was blue.
“He was there at the right time. Like he said, God put him there for a reason and he was my son’s savior. He saved him that day,” said Dan Schultz, Lucas’ father.
“Thank you for saving my life. It was good that you were there. I was really scared,” said Lucas.
For more on how the fisherman’s wife helped, click here for the story from St. Louis.
