"We're going in": Twin Cities fire chief, police officer jump into pond to rescue boy with autism

ST ANTHONY, Minn. – A Twin Cities fire chief who wasn't on the clock didn't hesitate to dive in after a little boy living with autism wound up in a pond Wednesday morning.

St. Anthony Fire Department Chief Mark Sitarz says he was driving south on Silver Lake Road on his way to work when something caught his eye. 

"I thought It was a mother who was trying to grab her son," Sitarz said.

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It was actually a good Samaritan who had spotted a child running near the road. The boy's father was not far behind, but the child continued to run down a wooded hill, and into a pond.

"I could just hear screaming coming from the base of this hill. And the father ran up saying, 'You have to help my son, he's in the water! I can't swim! You have to save my son!'" Sitarz said. "And so I ran down here, and at this point they're screaming and yelling, and I stopped at the trail. I took my boots off and took everything else I had off, and my shirt and I just ran into the water."

St. Anthony Police Officer Braden McNair arrived at the same time and joined in the rescue.  

"I could see that the child was probably almost to the middle of the pond, and as I was taking off my stuff, I saw his head kinda dip below the water," McNair said.

Thankfully, both men were able to pull the child to safety.

"Risk a lot to save a lot. There's a kid that could drown, so you don't really think about it," McNair said. "We're going in. We're gonna rescue a kid."

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For Sitarz, it could be his last save after a memorable 25-year career that will end in October. 

"Births of babies and cardiac arrests that were successful, the 35W Bridge collapse, and this is, I think, a pretty good way to end a career," he said.

Drowning is the leading cause of death for children living with autism. Experts say many of those children are drawn to the water for comfort when they're scared or overwhelmed.