An unlikely rescuer helped bring an end to a scary situation in Jefferson County.
A 10-year-old boy with autism disappeared on Marrowstone Island on Thursday.
Michael Peterson of Port Hadlock found out about it through a Facebook post.
"There was this nagging voice inside of me," said Peterson. "I grabbed a flashlight, hopped in the car, said a little prayer, and headed out this way."
Peterson had never met the boy before, but he wanted to help look for him. He says he acted on instinct, and just after 10:30 p.m. Thursday, he went to Indian Island Park.
"My first thought was to try the beach," he said. "I decided to come down here, and that's when I started calling out his name. I thought I heard a faint, 'I am over here.'"
Peterson says he kept moving closer while calling out to the boy.
Peterson says he soon heard a voice crying, "Please hurry. I'm cold and I'm scared and I can't move my legs."
Peterson discovered the boy 500 yards from him, stuck in the tidal flats. He called 911. Then he waved down a firefighter who was driving by.
"I was just blessed that I was the one who found him, and happy that the story ended the way that it did instead of a more tragic way," said Peterson.
Bill Beasley with Jefferson County Fire and Rescue confirms Peterson's story. He checked with dispatchers and the 10-year-old child, and said it does appear that Peterson's actions helped solve the missing persons case.
Firefighters reached the 10-year-old just after midnight. He was cold and wet but uninjured.
