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AMERICAN FORK CANYON — One of the tough tasks emergency responders often face is telling a parent their child has passed away. It's a scenario that's played out in Utah waterways five times this spring, and one Utah County sheriff's sergeant has gone out on more than one of those calls.
For Sgt. Tom Hodgson, The American Fork River will never be just another river; it will always an accident scene.
"I see a beautiful river as well, but I also see danger lurking there," Hodgson said Tuesday.
Last week, 8-year-old Jayson Robert Corporon was fishing here with his family. His mother turned around for just a moment.
"The only thing she said is that she heard a splash; and so she looked over and saw him in the water, and then went in after him," Hodgson said.
A passer-by pulled the woman out, but Jayson sailed downstream so quickly a man running along the river chasing after him couldn't keep up. Rescuers found him about two hours later, pinned against a log.
Hodgson jumped in the water to help another officer try to save Jayson. But by the time they got him out it was too late.
"You think about the ‘what ifs.' What if I had been 10 minutes faster?" Hodgson said. "You're looking at a child that a family has just lost, and you know that there's basically nothing we can do to help that small child at that point in time."
This is the third child drowning Hodgson has gone out on this season. He says he will always remember the details of each one because a family lost their baby. He and his rescuers mourn along with them.
"It's just a split second that this child disappears, just a split second that they're out of view from somebody," Hodgson said. "Every kid is our kid, and we firmly believe that."
If you do fall into a waterway, Hodgson says try to flip onto your back and point your feet downstream. That way you can see where you're going, and your legs will take the brunt of any object you hit.
Also, remember to keep an eye on your pets along with your kids. More than one pet has been swept away this season.
Email: jstagg@ksl.com
