‘A true warrior’: Oklahoma 8-year-old recognized for saving 4-year-old brother's life
The Chickasaw Nation recently recognized a big brother for his “heroic act of bravery and selflessness” after he followed his 3-year-old brother off a cliff and saved him from drowning.
On Feb. 25, Riley Duke, who was 3 years old at the time, slipped and fell nearly 100 feet into a creek on a family hiking trip at the Chickasaw National Recreation Area in Sulphur. Without a moment's hesitation, Dakota Duke, age 7 at the time, slid down the treacherous cliff face and into Rock Creek to hold Riley above water until help arrived.
Dakota, a member of the Chickasaw Nation, received a plaque to recognize his bravery and warrior mindset from Chickasaw Nation Lt. Gov. Chris Anoatubby and Lighthorse Assistant Chief Terrance Bush during an awards ceremony on May 23 at Latta Public Schools.
Amy Branom, the mother of the Duke brothers, expressed her gratitude.
"It made me and Dakota's father extremely proud," Branom said. "Over the last few months, he has truly grown and understood more, but we can never really thank him enough. He saved his brother's life."
In a press release from the Chickasaw Nation, Assistant Chief Bush also praised Dakota's fearless response to danger, highlighting his courage and sacrifice.
"When faced with fear and danger, Dakota chose not to run, but instead, act. That is a true warrior," Bush stated.
"There aren't many adults that would have chosen to act in the same way Dakota did on that specific day. Dakota could have taken many other paths when his brother fell 100 feet below, but instead, he chose to jump," Bush said.
Duke brothers recovering from severe injuries from incident
Both Dakota and Riley suffered severe injuries from the fall and were immediately rushed to an Oklahoma City hospital. Dakota was released after receiving medical care, while Riley required further treatment and was admitted to the hospital's intensive care unit. Currently, Riley is on the road to recovery at home.
Riley's journey to recovery has been arduous, as he endured four surgeries over the past few months. His injuries include a broken forehead, two broken ribs, several face lacerations and damage to his frontal lobe.
Complications arose during the second surgery when his body rejected a bone graft, leading to subsequent surgeries to replace plates and screws in his head, and he developed an infection caused by a unique strain of mold found in Oklahoma waters.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Chickasaw Nation recognized 8-year-old for saving young brother's life
