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On February 25th, seven-year-old Dakota Duke was hiking along Rock Creek near Sulphur, Oklahoma, with his grandmother and siblings. The family’s dog was along with them too and when it stepped down onto a ledge, Dakota’s little brother, three-year-old Riley Duke, reached out to the dog and fell down a 100-foot cliff face into the creek.
With little concern for his own safety, Dakota jumped and slid down the cliff after his brother, coming to a stop on landing by the creek. He then jumped into the freezing creek and pulled his baby brother’s head out of the water. Park rangers were notified and within minutes both boys were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital.
Riley suffered multiple lacerations, broken bones, and a head injury, while Dakota was treated and released from the hospital to recuperate at home. The family doesn’t know how long it will take for Riley to make a full recovery or if he will, but they do know how much worse it could have been if not for the selfless actions of Riley’s big brother, Dakota.
- A friend of the family has started a GoFundMe campaign to help the family pay for expenses related to Riley’s treatment and recovery.
Source: WSB TV