And he is. He is speaking right now.
Aaron Parsigian is there.
Let's go ahead and listen. And Aaron.
Seeing, you know, that little thing.
Yeah, it, you know, so many
emotions, I guess, you know?
I would say who wouldn't get emotional,
you know, with that situation,
but I was just so happy, so happy.
I found him so happy.
He was alive and well, you know,
and just seeing the parents reunited with him
and I just couldn't ask for a better day.
Better outcome and.
I'm just pleased with all these
people that showed up, you know,
it could have been anybody.
Just happened to be me.
What was the look on his
face when he saw you?
He seemed to.
He wasn't smiling,
but he was happy.
And he
put his hands up in the air
for me to come get him, you
know? So I was calling his name and I
just started saying your mom's coming
because they wanted to scare him,
but that didn't seem to scare him.
He was happy when I picked him up.
And like I said,
I think it was in some briar,
so he didn't want to go any further.
But he was standing up, and he looked
like he'd been hiking for a while.
So maybe we end up being my hiking
buddy when he gets older, yeah.
We could survive out there for 24 hours.
It is. It really is, yes.
So, you know, you probably wouldn't
find a lot of adults that would stay
out there in the middle of the night.
And, you know,
who knows what's out there?
I mean, we have, you know,
coyotes and Bobcats and that
type of stuff and.
But I'm sure being too he had to be scared
you know especially during the night.
But he seemed in good spirits.
He you know,
he wasn't a didn't seem to be
any danger you know that's
all the scratches on his legs
and his arms and you know I took a
picture of with me and his family as his
parents and him and. Yeah, he was just
happy. He was happy. Happy to be back.
How thankful are you that you
know instead of going on that
fishing trip this morning,
you decided to spend your time?
Yeah, I'm very thankful.
You know, it's, I think
a lot of people here probably
felt the same way, you know, and
I don't know if they go fishing
anytime, but, you know, I need to
come out and help everybody. And
I know the area good.
Being a third generation here in Brooksville,
I've got this county pretty figured out.
So it was a it was just great, you know,
I'm sure the Lord told me to be here.
Did you speak to his parents at all?
I did, yes.
I was in the ambulance with him and
they insisted on taking a picture
with me and of course they hugged me.
The whole family, grandma,
cousins, everybody. And
you know, like I said, you know, it's just a.
Just mine. Lucky day,
you know, our lucky day, I should say.
It's everybody's lucky day and I'm
just glad I was a part of it. And what
exactly do you see that?
It was almost a whimpering noise,
but it didn't really seem to be crying.
It was almost like the verge of crying.
But he was just kind of making
some childhood noises, you know,
nothing like he wasn't screaming or
crying that he had any major problems.
And as soon as you see me,
you could almost see him light up,
you know, as soon as I seen him in his hair,
I'm like, that's him.
And so of course I jumped on 911.
And it's kind of hard because I was
trying to, you know, keep him calm,
you know, instead of trying to so.
Another gentleman, I yelled at him and said,
I've got him. So he come.
And I gave him my phone and said,
you know, just where you talked to 911.
So that's kind of where we're
at. Within minutes,
we were loaded with deputies.
And, you know, everybody was
just thrilled to death that I've
seen that defended so great.
You know, really.
Can you describe the area?
Yeah. You know, where I went,
I came into a real wooded area
over Ernie Weaver Youth Park,
which is just north of here.
And I come through and then
I come to a big pasture,
kind of like the one right behind you.
And you know,
there's different areas that you could go.
I looked to the right and
I could see Cobb Rd.
the truck route down here.
So I decided to go straight
and off to one side.
I've seen them,
a couple things they use on on fields for
fertilizing big water tanks and all they use.
And I was like, well,
let me go check that,
make sure he's not around there,
you know?
So I did.
I came back over to where I was at and
here I'm trying to decide which way to go.
And I kind of looked in the area
as though this is where I'm going
and that's where I heard it and
it was 100 feet away is about it.
So,
you know,
I'm sure everybody here was was wishing
somebody found them. I just happened
to be the guy. So, you know,
I'm no hero or nothing else.
It just was my lucky day.
My phone, Brenda. Ohh yeah. Yes for sure.
Yep. I gotta meet back up with you.
And hearing right there from Roy Link,
a Brooksville man who found
two year old JJ Roland.
He is now at his home.
He is with his parents. He is safe.
You heard from so many saying
just scratches, bug bites.
But he is otherwise doing well.
Roy saying that he was trying to
figure out where to go and just
about 100 feet away heard some
noises and then noticed that it
was JJ and just scooped him up.
We're so glad that he's OK, he said.
You know, it is everybody's
lucky day and it truly is.
Everybody in this community is lucky day.
We've seen so many people coming
out trying to help this family,
trying to find this 2 year old little
boy and I want to share a video with
you of that moment of the rescue.
There were quite a few volunteers
and you can see right there
as we're watching this.
Of all of the volunteers.
And and in a minute you will
see them coming out with JJ.
Just give us one minute here.
But this is again just seeing this community.
Everyone there he is right there,
right there with Roy.
Roy is holding him.
Roy Link again,
a Brooksville man who found him
holding JJ as paramedics are there with him.
And then his family as well.
Another volunteer off to the side
there with Roy and look at JJ.
He said that J didn't really smile,
but he lit up when he saw him.
He said that he was in some briars.
Didn't really look like he
was trying to move JJ again.
For those of you just joining us has
been such a developing situation.
Last seen in his front yard
around 10:40 yesterday morning,
his mom then noticed him missing.
She had been taking a nap,
noticed him missing, searched for him,
alerted deputies, and then we saw law
enforcement come out in full response,
bringing in helicopters, divers, dogs,
so many volunteers looking and looking,
resuming that search this morning.
And right after that search started
around 11:00 AM this morning,
that is when Roy was able to
find and locate JJ again.
An incredible end to a situation
so many worried about,
this 2 1/2 year old little boy surviving
overnight in a densely wooded area.
You know, as you heard Roy Link say,
there are, you know,
wild animals out there,
all kinds of things that not many people.
He said.
Not many adults would be willing to stay out.
And overnight.
But this boy again,
safe and sound and again with his parents.
And you just know just how elated they are.