Boy Who Climbed On the Monorail Track at Hersheypark, Saved By Man Afraid of Heights

A little boy climbed onto a monorail track at Hersheypark, a good distance above the ground. He didn’t have to fear for long— a veterinarian and dad of three, John Sampson, literally jumped to the rescue. Looking at the footage, you’d never guess the man has a strong fear of heights.

Little Boy Climbs Onto Monorail Track at Hershey Park

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Despite barricades restricting access to the non-operational monorail, the little boy slipped through, unknown to his parents.

"A kid is walking on the monorail, and obviously, panic kind of sets in a little bit," John said. “When you have that, like, kind of dad instinct, it doesn't matter if it's your kid or not, it's a child that you want to make sure they're safe as possible.”

Bystanders were looking up at the boy, shouting conflicting words: “Stop!” “Keep going!” and “Go that way!” The boy, apparently overwhelmed, put his hands over his ears and began to walk in different directions, unsure what to do.

John then quickly jumped onto the roof of a concession stand and then jumped on the monorail.

"There was a fence that I jumped on and then I was able to jump on the roof from there and then it was a straight shot up," John said.

Man’s Fear of Heights Disappears to Help the Boy in Need

He knew what he had to do–and his fear of heights momentarily dissipated.

"It didn't bother me up there, because I was just concentrating on one thing, and I didn't hesitate on any of it," he recalled.

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"So, when I finally got him in my arms, honestly, there was no words," he said. "I was just mumbling, 'I'm so happy,' you know, 'I got you. You're OK, you're OK.'"

Another man who jumped on the concession stand helped get the boy and John down. John’s wife had seen John on the monorail and shouted his name in shock.

"I heard this 'John?!' and that's when it kind of like, I was able to think again and, like, hear everything," John recalled. "And I looked down. I'm like, oh my goodness, OK, yeah ... I just waved to her, like, nonchalantly,” he joked.

The boy was safely reunited with his family, unharmed.

"Our team members immediately responded after he was spotted on the tracks, and at approximately 5:28 p.m. the child was safely reunited with his family. He was unharmed," Hersheypark said. "We are grateful for the vigilance of our guests and the swift response of our team, and we remain committed to maintaining the highest levels of guest safety throughout Hersheypark."

Family Thanks the Hero

After the incident, the boy and his parents gave John a phone call to thank him. "They contacted me, and then we had a nice conversation," John said. "Obviously, super, super happy to hear that he's back with his parents. And then I got a nice thank you as well from the son. So that was nice."

The hero admits he wasn’t the only one who helped the boy that day and notes the importance of watching out for one another.

What a happy ending! This goes to show that fears can be conquered in an instant when quick action is needed.

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WATCH: Boy Who Climbed On the Monorail Track at Hersheypark, Saved By Man Afraid of Heights

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h/t: ABC News

Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Good Morning America

Michaela Gordoni is an avid reader and part-time globe-trotter. With a bachelor's degree in International Relations and experience in the non-profit world, she has a passion for people and reporting. You can check out her portfolio here.