It happened at the River of No Return, a densely covered spread of wilderness in Idaho.
David and Charlie had planned an exciting 12-day father-son excursion through the sinisterly named area. They were about a week into their trip when tragedy struck.
David surveyed the area in order to map out their next climbing route when a massive boulder the size of a refrigerator crashed down on him, sending him plunging 30 feet down the side of the mountain.
When 13-year-old Charlie made it down to his dad, he saw a deep slash in his dad’s leg. As he watched the crimson liquid spilling out, he knew he had to act quickly.
“At first I was freaking out a little bit," Charlie said. "After a few minutes, I kind of calmed down and thought, 'I have to help him out!’”
He sprinted a mile back to the camp and returned with a first-aid kit. He gently cleaned his dad’s wound before carefully bandaging the area. Unable to walk, David had to inch his way back to camp as Charlie did his best to help.
Once back at camp, Charlie cared for his dad, while unsuccessfully searching the surrounding area for signs of life.
After two days, he realized he was going to have to make the grueling 13-mile hike down to civilization. His dad quickly wrote a note pleading for help, and Charlie began making his way down the trail.
Fortunately, about three miles in, he ran into people from his church, who assured him that they would stay with his dad. A little further down, he encountered another person who offered to go with him to find help.
They ran eight miles before finding help. Charlie's dad was air-lifted to the hospital and immediately rushed into surgery. His recovery from the fall took a toll on his body, but the experience strengthened the pair's bond forever.
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