Bogalusa teenage hero rescued children after boating accident

James Varney ^ | 3/30/15 | James Varney

[BBell]

Like most Louisiana boys, 16-year-old Leyton Page of Bogalusa loves the outdoors. Unlike most anyone, Page is a genuine hero.

Page lived with his father until two weeks ago when the Pine High School student came home to find his father dead of natural causes. His grandfather also died in February, and Page was understandably blue after losing what another relative called "the two most important men in his life." Following their deaths, the grieving sportsman bought a 12-gauge shotgun for hunting.

Around 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Page took his boat out on to the usually placid, dark water of the Pearl River Navigational Canal that runs along the western edge of the Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge. In the course of just a few minutes, the teenager who has coped with more death than a teenager should have to wound up saving the lives of two boys aged 6 and 8.

"Leyton Page is the reason those kids survived, period," said St. Tammany Fire District 9 Chief Scott Brewer.

The boys were on the canal in a boat operated by Terry O'Keefe Jr., the boyfriend of their mother, Jonie Morgan. In the summertime, Brewer said, the canal's water is only waist deep and kids frolic in it.

Now, swollen with spring rain, the canal is a more formidable thing. It is some 8 or 9 feet deep and has a powerful current.

That current took control of O'Keefe's boat when the motor cut out, and the powerless boat flipped when it went over a sill. The five passengers in that boat - the boys' 5-year-old sister was also on the trip - went into the rushing water. The kids were wearing life preservers; the adults were not.

Page saw what happened and immediately went to the rescue. But the turbulent water capsized

[BBell]

Good story. The kid lost his cell phone,new shotgun, and his boat was capsized. The kid is a true hero. Acted out of instinct when he saw the situation. I hope my 16 year old boy would do the same.

I'm sure the kid will get a new shotgun, boat, and cell phone. I would donate money for it.

[Kirkwood]

I just saw on the news that there a weg page to donate and a local gun club is helping out with a new gun. I think the donations are close to $2000 now.

[RaceBannon]

this 16 year old bought that shotgun??
HE was the sportsman??

[Kirkwood]

http://www.gofundme.com/qbxbbbb4?fb_action_ids=975483095825572&fb_action_types=og.shares&fb_ref=undefined&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B823137837761221%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.shares%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%22undefined%22%5D

[Kirkwood]

They are still looking for the body of the missing mother of the 3 little kids that were rescued.

[DannyTN]

Boudreaux and Thibedeaux were out in the bayou alligator hunting one day.
And the governor drove by just in time to see them pull a yankee out of the bayou into the pereaux.
The governor said, I’m going to give you boys a citation. Y’all are heros for saving this yankee. We’ll take this guy up to the hospital and have him checked out.
As they were walking back to their pereaux, Thibedeaux said, did you hear that, “I’m a hero.”.
Boudreaux said, “well Mr. Hero, what are we going to do now. That governor just drove off with our bait.”

[kvanbrunt2]

what’s that beretta silver pigeon bird gun cost.

[Kirkwood]

He had a $1200 Browning.

[BBell]

16 years old and he had the shotgun in the boat with him. Gotta Love Louisiana.

[BBell]

Thanks for the link.

[BBell]

Leyton Page

[Charles Martel]

You got the phonetics correct, but it’s spelled “pirogue”.

[SgtBob]

In LA there is no minimum age for rifle or shotgun....gotta be 18 to buy a handgun.;-)

I’ve been in the woods, and on/in the water since my father retired here in ‘71; I was 11at the time. I would say at 16 he is prolly quite accomplished.

[TomGuy]

capsized his boat, too, sending his new shotgun and his cell phone to the bottom

Wow. That sure happens a lot. Many even on FR have experienced similar losses of shotguns, rifles and handguns. That's their story and they are sticking to it. Of course, most of them don't have the background story of rescuing kids out of the rushing water.

==

Bittersweet story -- 2 lost, 3 and Page live.

[DannyTN]

Thanks. I believe you are right.

Well, I did grow up in Louisiana, home of America’s illiterates in two languages. Therefore I carry a lifetime handicap in all matters of spelling, grammar and pronunciation.

It’s not that Louisiana is wrong, the rest of the nation is just spelling imagination impaired.
Geaux Tigers!!!

[Do the math]

This is Louisiana, not New York. Most boys in Louisiana start hunting before they are teens. I think I was 8 or nine when I got my own 22lr. Hardly anyone ever gets shot in my neck of the woods. If we didn't have hell holes like New Orleans in our state, Louisiana would be a much safer place.

[kvanbrunt2]

nice my browning 22=250 is a tack driver.