Emergency personnel are crediting a life vest they say saved a boy’s life after his kayak capsized in Lakewood this afternoon.

As first reported on our news alerts, the boy’s boat capsized in Lake Carasaljo shortly before 5 PM.

The boy, approximately 10 years old, was the sole occupant in the kayak when it overturned, threatening to drown the boy. Family members and other nearby boaters screamed for help as the boy struggled to keep his head above the water.

The first Hatzolah member arrived moments later, and together with a bystander – identified as Shmuly Burstyn, grabbed a rescue boat and sped over to the boy.

They reached the boy within minutes, jumped into the water, and pulled the shivering and partially-choking boy to safety.

“The only reason he’s probably alive, is because he was wearing that vest,” an emergency responder on scene told TLS. He added, that it’s important that someone always knows where you are – as was the case here, the emergency responder said. Never go out onto the water alone.

The boy was taken to a nearby ambulance, where he was dried and warmed.