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Teen Says TV Show Helped Him Survive Fall In Frozen Pond
By: kctv5.comPosted On: 12/22/2009 1:32 P
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A 13-year-old boy is recovering after falling through thin ice at Walden Pond on Monday and says a television show may have saved his life.
A 13-year-old boy is recovering after falling through thin ice at Walden Pond on Monday and says a television show may have saved his life.
Jacob Clopton, 15, said he told his younger brother, Joseph, numerous times not to go into the middle of the pond while the two were playing there on Monday afternoon. But Jacob said his brother disregarded the warning and went out to the middle anyway. The older brother said he heard a lot of ice cracking before his brother fell through into the water.
"It was just like being in like a giant ice cube, everything went numb," Joseph Clopton said. "I couldn't feel any part of my body except my head and my hands."
The two boys said they watch the show "Man Vs. Wild" on the Discovery Channel regularly and used some advice to keep Joseph safe.
"He stood still for a while because it kept cracking," Jacob Clopton said. "I thought he was going under ... That was on "Man Vs. Wild" because it doesn't break the ice if you're still. The ice doesn't break off."
Fire rescue crews found Joseph shoulder-deep in the water and firefighter Jack Dylan jumped in the freezing water and pulled him to safety. They said his body temperature had fallen to 91 degrees after being in the water for only 10 minutes. Joseph was conscious throughout the incident.
"He was very cooperative when the rescuer got in the water with him," said John Mattox of the Shawnee Fire Department. "In some advance stages, the person in need of rescue can be combative. Obviously anxious. He was very cooperative."
Rescue crews said the boy's age also helped him survive and stay conscious. Joseph was so conscious that he had just one thing on his mind on the way to the hospital.
"My shirt, it was brand new from Christmas," Joseph Clopton said of his early Christmas presents. "They said they were going to cut it off, and I was like no, no."
Joseph said he should have listened to his brother and learned an important lesson.
"Don't go out on ice, it's not funny at all," Joseph Clopton said. "It could break and you can die."
Joseph was taken to Children's Mercy Hospital, where family members said he was doing fine.
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