The Kid That Saved His Dad
On a sunny day last April, Bode, then nine, and his father, John Taylor, 54, were snowmobiling around the remote country of Lake Tahoe. As they were driving on the snow, a little dry branch jammed in the brake of John's vehicle. Unable to slow down, John rushed toward a pine tree. He moved to jump off the vehicle before it crashed, but his pantleg (裤腿) caught underneath it. John felt his leg broken. As he sank six inches into the powdery snow, he could tell his arms and shoulder were injured too. Bode rushed to dig out his father, but John stopped him. They had no water, little food, and no cell phone service. “Get on your snowmobile,” John told Bode. "Follow the road, and try to find help.”
After a 20-minute ride, Bode spotted a tour group and asked the guide to radio for help. The rescuers quickly appeared on the scene. And Bode led them through the white wilderness to his dad, who was pale and in pain.
While they were waiting for a plane to send John to the nearest hospital, the rescuers quickly stabilized his leg. An hour later, he received surgery for the broken leg and internal bleeding.
Today, John's leg has healed enough for him to take Bode out on dirt bikes. Father and son now carry extra devices on their trips, including a two-way radio with an emergency button. “I'm still a little afraid to go out on a snowmobile," says Bode. “But I'm starting to feel better about it."
Tisha Shaw, Bode's mother, says her son's courage and quick thinking have led her to treat him as more of an adult. She lets him stay up later at night because “I trust his judgment," she says.