Man labeled a hero after saving missing boy stuck 100ft in air on monorail track
Topics: Pennsylvania , Social Media, US News, Viral, Parenting
Ellie Kemp
Featured Image Credit: CBS 21 News
Topics: Pennsylvania , Social Media, US News, Viral, Parenting
The stomach-dropping moment a missing child wandered along Pennsylvania's Hersheypark monorail was captured on video.
It wasn’t the rollercoasters that scared these parents, but their child spotted high up on the monorail tracks at the popular theme park, Hersheypark, Pennsylvania.
In shocking footage, the young boy wandered alone along the tracks, reportedly more than 100 feet above the ground.
A stranger has now been branded a hero after climbing up to help rescue the boy.
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On Saturday (August 30), the boy's worried family reported him missing a little after 5pm.
He was spotted walking on the rail tracks less than 20 minutes later and reunited with his family by 5.30pm.
The youngster was reportedly at the monorail station around 20 minutes before walking onto the track.
The monorail ride, which takes visitors on a scenic loop around the park, was confirmed to be closed at the time of the incident.
As he stepped along the monorail, the boy appeared visibly distressed as park-goers from below shouted at him - to either stop walking or keep going.
One man climbed the roof of a what appears to be an ice cream shop, helping lift the boy back down to safety.
Responding to footage of the moment online, one social media user simply hailed the man a 'hero,' as a second reckoned: "Give this man free tickets for life. That’s the kind of guest every park dreams of having."
"This is America at its best," a third chipped in.
In a statement, Hersheypark said: "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.
"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."
Hersheypark added that the station the boy entered was in a secured area, with the ride not in operation and barricades in place.
The incident comes just over a month after tragedy struck the park, when a nine-year-old girl drowned in the wave pool.
Police later ruled that death accidental, noting Hersheypark had followed safety standards at the time.
The park was originally created in 1906 by chocolate maker Milton S. Hershey as a leisure park for his employees.
Today, it spans more than 120 acres and features over 70 rides and attractions, including rollercoasters, a water park, and the famous Chocolate World experience.