Ashkan Thibodeaux and his younger brother, Wyatt, are very close and love spending time together. On Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026, Ashkan and Wyatt went exploring near a creek in Minnesota. The weather was cold, and somehow Wyatt slipped into the icy cold water. Ashkan jumped in to help his little brother and saved him from drowning. In the process, Ashkan received serious injuries and is still fighting for his life in the pediatric intensive care unit at a Minneapolis hospital.
Ashkan successfully pulled Wyatt to safety.
When Wyatt fell into the creek, Ashkan jumped in after him, according to KAXE. The 5-year-old courageously rescued his brother and got him to shallow water, but Ashkan could not pull himself out. Emergency responders rushed to the scene and did their best to administer aid to the young boy.
“Itasca County Sheriffs, EMT’s, Bovey Firefighters, North Memorial Ambulance crews, Grand Itasca nurses and doctors, Life Link crews, and Children’s Minnesota staff performed life-saving manual CPR on Ashkan for 6 hours as he was transported to Minneapolis via Life Link airplane,” his family explained in a CaringBridge post. “Hundreds of people did everything they could for Ash over this period of time, and our family is so grateful.”
The little boy has had a very challenging time in the hospital.
When Ashkan arrived at the hospital, the staff faced several challenges, per CaringBridge. Doctors found “dead” areas in several organs that they had to remove surgically. Doctors operated on Ashkan’s appendix and sections of his colon and small intestine with success. Family and doctors feared he may have brain damage, but had to wait for him to come out of sedation to be certain. Miraculously, Ashkan is recovering and making strides with his health.
“Today was the first day that Ash seemed to comprehend all of the green hearts from his classmates, pictures on his walls, well-wishes, balloons, and stuffies. We think there will be much more to come over the weekend!” his family shared on April 18.
The community has rallied for Ashkan and his family.
Multiple groups created fundraisers to help cover Ashkan’s family’s mounting medical costs.
“Ashkan’s bravery reminds us all of the power of love and selflessness. Now, it’s our turn to rally around him and our family. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a meaningful difference. If you can’t give, sharing this page and keeping Ashkan in your thoughts and prayers is just as appreciated,” a GoFundMe account reads. “Thank you for surrounding us with love, strength, and hope during this incredibly challenging time.”
Ashkan’s hockey team, the Greenway Mini Mites, also created a special T-shirt to support the 5-year-old during his recovery.
“This hockey community is a special one. It’s built on toughness, heart, and showing up for each other when it matters most. Right now, we’re asking the hockey community—near and far—to come together,” Kayla Swanson shared in a post on Facebook.
Ashkan is clearly a very special boy who deserves all the good in the world for the love he showed his little brother.
