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Kole Devisscher, a 16 year old from Winnepeg, Manitoba, was going about his day as usual when everything changed quickly. The teen was driving his truck and he passed by a section of the Red River, where something caught his eye and grabbed his attention. This was a lucky break for a 10 year old boy who had managed to fall into an ice crack on the river, and thanks to some fast thinking and survival instincts the boy was rescued and is now safe.

10 year old Ralph Chartrand had been playing on the frozen river when he hit an area with thin ice, and the ice fractured and gave way underneath the boy. Ralph tumbled into the freezing water of the river and was trapped, unable to get out on his own and starting to suffer from hypothermia. Every minute was critical because the boy was losing strength and could not survive much longer without help. Without thinking of his own safety Kole quickly stepped in, and his heroic actions saved Ralph from either freezing or drowning in the frigid water.

A Floating Blue Jacket Grabbed Teen’s Attention

Kole is your average 16 Year Old…kind of. As Kole was driving down the road he noticed what appeared to be a blue jacket floating in the water. At first the teen thought that it was just debris that was in the river, but he was curious so he backed up to get a better look. After a minute Devisscher noticed that a young boy was trying to climb up onto the ice from a crack and was struggling. Without considering his own safety Kole thought back to safety lessons he had learned from snowmobiling, and the teen decided to help out.

At first 16 year old Kole threw his tow rope to the boy, but Ralph was too tired to keep a good hold on the rope and Devisscher realized that this would not work. Next the teen created a loop in the rope and threw it to Ralph again, instructing the child to put the rope around his shoulders instead. This worked as intended and the teenager managed to pull the boy to safety and then calm him down until medical attention could be received. By the time he was rescued Ralph’s hands were already blue in color and the boy could not have survived much longer if Kole had not stopped to rescue him.

16 Year Old Awarded for His Brave Actions

Because of his actions on that day 16 year old Kole Devisscher has been recognized as a hero by many. East St. Paul, the city that the teen calls home, has honored Kole for his brave actions and selfless act. MP Joy Smith not only provided the teen with a certificate of commendation, and she also plans on nominating the 16 year old for the coveted Governor General’s Medal of Bravery. Kole’s parents are proud of the teen, although his mother and father were both worried when they found out that the 16 year old put himself in danger to save the 10 year old trapped in the ice.

We want to hear from you on the questions below. Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to leave your answers, comments, and thoughts.

• If you saw a child in trouble would you help or wait for someone else to step in?
• Could Kole have called for help instead of putting his own safety at risk?
• Why or why not?