Boy rescued from South Saskatchewan River by Saskatoon runner

Two boys on the shoreline of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon were fortunate Brad Pilon was nearby when one of them slipped into the water.

Pilon was running on the Meewasin Trail with his wife, Ashley, on Saturday at around 5:30 p.m.

The couple heard screaming and saw a boy go under the water of the river.

An eight-year-old boy, who had been with his seven-year-old cousin, had slipped in and was yelling he could not swim. The current had swept him away from the shoreline.

Pilon went into the water to retrieve the child, swimming them both back to safety. Ashley filmed the rescue.

“It was a case of being in the right place at the right time,” Pilon said to Medavie Health Services West, which shared a video of the rescue.

“I seen this little boy in trouble and did everything I could possibly do to reach him.”

Paramedics were called to treat the boys on the scene and police drove them home.

Pilon will be recognized this September with a STAR award at the Badge, Shield and Star event hosted by Rotary Clubs of Saskatoon this September.