Staff Reports
On Christmas night, Volusia County deputies once again pulled a little boy out of freezing pond water and returned him to his family, a dramatic rescue captured in bodycam and helicopter footage released by the Volusia Sheriff’s Office. The video shows the calm, professional work of local law enforcement as Air One helped lead deputies to the child, who was cold but unharmed after standing chest-deep in the pond.
This was not the first time the boy had slipped away from safety — he had been rescued from a pond in August 2024 after escaping his home, a terrifying incident that prompted the family to begin swimming lessons and to take other precautions. Deputies on that call waded into the water and carried the child to shore, a reminder that second chances often come from the quick thinking and courage of neighbors in uniform.
There are heroes in uniform who show up while politicians debate buzzwords and empty policy. Volusia’s Air One crew and deputies moved with purpose on Christmas night, locating the boy quickly and keeping a calm approach so as not to alarm him — exactly the kind of steady, boots-on-the-ground response communities deserve and should reward.
Officials say the child is nonverbal, has autism, and is known to be attracted to water, which is why the family and deputies emphasized swimming lessons, home alarms and the use of tracking technology like an AngelSense device to help keep him safe. Those sensible, common-sense measures were recommended again after the rescue, and they deserve full support from neighbors, schools, and local officials.
Meanwhile, the scene should be a wake-up call to anyone more interested in headlines than real help: communities need to prioritize supporting families who face special challenges instead of lecturing them. Local law enforcement, volunteers, and good neighbors are the ones who protect our children in moments of crisis, and they deserve resources, respect, and our gratitude — not cuts, not politicized oversight, and certainly not ideological grandstanding.
The Volusia Sheriff’s Office has noted that deputies receive Autism Awareness training to prepare for calls involving missing children and other vulnerable people, and that training clearly saves lives. We should be expanding that practical training, funding local rescue assets like helicopters and search teams, and passing sensible policies at the county and state level that keep families safe rather than piling on bureaucratic red tape from Washington.
Hardworking Americans should use this story as a simple reminder: thank the deputies who ran into the cold water, check that your own homes and neighborhoods have basic safeguards, and support local programs that give parents real help. In a country that still values courage and community, let’s back the people who act when every second counts and make sure families get the tools they need to protect their children.
