Two Florida teenagers are being hailed as heroes for saving a man whose truck plunged into a canal in North Lauderdale, Fla. According to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, authorities responded to a call about a vehicle in a canal.
Emergency responders arrived to find the driver, who had managed to escape the vehicle and swim to the embankment. Paramedics evaluated him at the scene and released him after confirming there were no other occupants in the vehicle. The driver mentioned that a juvenile had reached for his hand and helped him to the embankment. Tony Cooper and Elijah Hodge, both 13, saw the vehicle, a Toyota truck, go into the canal and rushed over to help.
We rushed and took off our shoes and stuff,” Cooper said.
“We literally jumped on the hood and then we took off the seat belt and then we pulled him out. I started screaming at him because he was heavy while he was in the car. We were screaming, he woke up, we helped him get out of the car and after that, he was on the hood and then we pulled him onto the grass.”
Two teens rescued a man from a canal in Florida. A viewer rewarded them each with a check for $250. Photo courtesy of WSVN
Witness Dorothy Borgelin saw the truck in the water and Cooper and Hodge helping the driver. “They were on the other side,” Borgelin said, “and then they just jumped into the water. One of them went on top of the hood and the other one was in the water, trying to pull the man out. They did an amazing job to save the man’s life.”
North Lauderdale Mayor Samson Borgelin praised the teens’ efforts. “I am incredibly proud of these young citizens and their heroic efforts. I will be reaching out to them and their families to formally recognize their bravery,” he said. A good Samaritan who heard about the story met Cooper and Hodge in person and gave them each a check for $250. “I’m just so proud of you boys,” they said. Authorities are looking into the circumstances surrounding the crash that led the Toyota truck into the canal. Cellphone footage captured divers attempting to retrieve the submerged vehicle.
The boys pose with Sarah Perry, who met with the heroes to give them a lesson in how to safely save people when they are stuck in water. Photo by WSVN
In a related note, Sarah Perry, whose son Adin Perry tragically died while trying to save a life in a similar incident in 2022, called the teens heroes. “I couldn’t believe it because it brings back that night, you know,” Perry said. “But they are extremely brave to do what they did and I’m so proud of them. I don’t think they realized the risks that were involved. And just like my son, they didn’t think. They saw somebody that needed help, they jumped in, that’s what a true hero does.”
Since her son’s death, Perry has dedicated her life to placing over 300 safety rings near bodies of water with the message, “Throw, don’t go,” encouraging people to use the rings before jumping in themselves. She has taken it upon herself to teach Cooper and Hodge this valuable lesson to ensure their safety in future emergencies. The two young heroes were thrilled they were able to help. “I feel great,” Cooper said. Hodge added, “I feel happy.”
