Kayaker springs into action after hearing small child shout from rushing river in Ohio

Shouting haunted a kayaker who had just gotten out of the water.

The man had been whitewater kayaking on a river near Kent, Ohio, on Saturday, April 23, the city’s fire department said. When he got out of the water, he heard shouting and saw two people struggling in the water.

A child and her mother were drowning in the river. The kayaker quickly sprang into action, the fire department said.

“The kayaker immediately got into his kayak and quickly found them struggling in the water at the tip of the island just downriver of the Dam,” the fire department said on Facebook. “The kayaker assisted them both from the water.”

The child had nearly drowned, officials said. The kayaker began ”assessing the child” until police officers arrived.

Within minutes, crews arrived to help the kayaker with the rescue.

Two swimmers from the Kent Fire Department jumped into the water to get to the island and begin giving the child and her mom medical care.

“A rescue boat was deployed to the island and both victims were safely removed,” officials said. “Swift water operations, especially in this area of the area, are labor intensive and require specialized training.”

The child was taken in an ambulance to Akron Children’s Hospital. Both the child and mother were conscious at the time.

This story was originally published April 24, 2022 at 9:06 AM with the headline "Kayaker springs into action after hearing small child shout from rushing river in Ohio."