One of the bravest people Tanya Docwra-Smith knows is Cameron Martin, her friend’s son. If you ask her, the 13-year-old has more courage than most adults!
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Tanya and her husband Jonathan run the Midspirit Discount Equestrian farm in Burgh Castle, England. Cameron often stays there while his mom, Kelly Ann Gook, works at a local hospital. Over time, the teen has developed a deep love for horses – and recently, he even became a hero to one!
On August 13, Cameron was heading over to visit Charlie, his own pony, when he noticed something was wrong. One of the horses was missing from his usual place.
“I panicked, and then my first thought was to check the dyke,” he said.
Sure enough, Domino the horse was in the nearby canal, trying to push his head under the water. Domino suffers from a long-term leg injury, and this behavior was a clear sign of distress. That’s when Cameron raced over to the freezing water and jumped in, holding Domino’s head above the surface for an hour.
While it’s common for Cameron to wander around the farm on his own, Tanya began to worry when she hadn’t seen him once in all that time. It didn’t take long for her and the other searchers to spot him in the canal, where he had been desperately trying to catch their attention.
“He kept jumping back in the water and out again. It was all very scary,” Tanya said. “He knew leaving the horse for a second would have led to its death.”
Thanks to Cameron, they found Domino in time and were able to pull him to safety with a crane. Afterwards, Cameron was so exhausted that he slept first for 24 hours, then for another 22 just a few hours later!
“Not even an adult would have the guts to do what he did,” Tanya said.
While he was cold and bruised, Domino was able to walk away from the canal! His owner, Paul Williams, couldn’t be more grateful to Cameron, his “little hero.” And neither could Domino!
“He and the horse have bonded after this,” Tanya added. “When the horse stands at one side of the dyke and Cameron is at the other side, Domino gives him a little whinny.”
Talk about heroic! It took guts for Cameron to do what he did, and we’re sure he was scared the entire time. Of course, that’s what it means to be brave! It’s no wonder Tanya looks up to him!
Watch them free Domino from the canal in the video below, and share this story to thank Cameron for his lifesaving actions.
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