Caitlyn Thomas, a 17-year old Jefferson High School senior, and her grandfather, Randy Thomas, saved a young boy’s life last Wednesday, Feb. 17.
With six inches of snow on the ground and a howling blizzard of additional snow, Caitlyn’s dog, Kroger, wanted to go outside.
She didn’t want to take him out because it was cold and blustery but she knew he needed to go out for a while and she put the dog on a leash and went out.
Normally, Caitlyn said, she doesn’t go on the road in the direction of a neighbors big cattle pond but Kroger seemed determined.
As they walked Caitlyn fiddled with her phone and took pictures of the pretty snowscape that had covered the area of her Berea community.
Kroger strained at the leash as they walked and she happened to glance off to the right where the pond was situated in an area that dipped down from the road.
It looked like it was frozen solid with ice since the temperatures had been in the single digits and below for a few days.
When she saw a dark shape at the pond she stopped for a few seconds to figure out what it was and when she did, she realized it was a boy all but submerged in the icy pond and not moving.
A black dog was running around the ponds edge and Kroger took off followed by Caitlyn who quickly realized it was a life or death situation.
When she got to the edge both dogs were jumping in the water to try to get to the boy and Caitlyn called out to him but he did not answer nor did he move. It was obvious that she had to have help.
That’s when she called her grandfather who was still at the house and who she knew was always cool under stressful circumstances.
He came running down to the pond as fast as he could with a rope but found the boy could not talk or move. It was obvious to both that he was in shock.
Within the blink of an eye Thomas made the decision to go into the water to pull the boy out somehow.
As he struggled to get the weighted-down boy to shore, Caitlyn notified others and they came running too.
While all this was going on, she also had presence of mind to video record the rescue on her phone.
That video has now been shared thousands if not millions of times all over the world and interviews with network shows have contacted the Thomas family for personal video-phone interviews including Kelly Clarkson and Inside Edition.
Television station KTAL-TV in Shreveport was among the first to put the taped rescue on the air the next day.
When the boy was finally on firm ground – albeit covered with many inches of snow and ice – Thomas and the others were able to get him into a truck to be taken to a house where he could be warmed and taken out of his water-logged clothes.
Randy Thomas, who had arrived wearing only blue jeans and a long-sleeved cotton tee shirt, was also taken home with Caitlyn and Kroger.
The boys dog followed the group and the near-tragic event was over.
The Marion County Sheriff David Capps and deputies as well as game warden Rob Furlow arrived as quickly as they could to assist.
The Berea community is about 5-6 miles from the city of Jefferson and the roads were dangerously covered in snow and ice.
After such an extraordinary event in an area that is usually calm and quiet except for the annual Mardi Gras celebration and Historical Pilgrimage, this was a truly amazing occurrence that the citizens of Marion County will recognize when Caitlyn and her grandfather, Randy Thomas, as well as the dog, Kroger; the rescued boy Tresean Harris and his dog Blackie, at a brief ceremony on Sunday, Feb. 28, at 2 pm on the steps of the newly restored Marion County Courthouse. The ceremony will be attended by Marion County Judge Leward LaFleur Mayor Rob Baker, Jefferson ISD Supt. Rob Barnwell and others who will show appreciation to Caitlyn and her grandfather, Randy, for their heroic actions in saving the life of this young boy. They, will be presented with a ribboned medal and gift certificates from several Jefferson businesses including Riverport BBQ, Sheality, The Willow Tree, Jefferson General Store, McGarity’s, The Outpost. and the Opera House Theatre Players. The dogs will also receive a suitable gift.
Others joining in are Kitts Cornbread and Pie Shop, Rossette Hyter of Walmart, Aunt Skinners Riverboat Club,and Marcia Thomas who was also instrumental in getting together the recognition assisted by Carmen McDonell.
Following the presentation, everyone attending is invited to enjoy cake and coffee at Aunt Skinner’s.
The refreshments are being furnished by the family of the late Dorothy Craver who, had she lived, would have been 109 years old on that date.