US teen rescues 83-year-old man, dog from icy lake
US teen rescues 83-year-old man, dog from icy lake Image Credit: Drone Photographs by Tom Gustafson/ Facebook screengrab

A 17-year-old's recent act of bravery has been caught on camera and is going viral on social media. On February 3, Joe Salmon, a teenager from the US state of Iowa jumped into an icy lake to save an 83-year-old man, Thomas Lee, and his six-year-old dog, Cooper, from a drowning vehicle. A drone footage showing the incident, was posted on Facebook and has gone viral.

The video shows the teen's presence of mind to help save the man and his pet from what could have been a far more dangerous situation. It goes to show yet again that not all superheroes wear capes, say Facebook users.

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The scene was captured via drone by photographer Tom Gustafson, who shared it on Facebook. The video shows the teenager trying to open the back side of the vehicle and releasing the dog into the water first. Later, after strenuous efforts, the elderly man was pulled out of the vehicle too.

The teenager returns to the shore while other people support the older man to walk.

Lee was immediately taken to the nearby Lakes Regional Healthcare and suffered no injuries, says a news report on the US-based news website today.com.

According to the news report, the Dickinson County’s sheriff said that four other men, Corey McConnell, Kody Harrelson, Cody Chester, and Chris Parks, also assisted in pulling Lee and his dog to safety.

The Facebook video is now being shared by many across different platforms. Since being posted on February 5, the video has gathered nearly 58,000 views and counting.

"Restores faith in humanity. What a brave act," posted Jaya Limaye, a Facebook user.

"Great video Tom. Thank you to everyone who saved the man and his dog!" shared another Facebook user Spencer Main Street.

And, Linda Brandon, wrote: "The men's bravery is next level. Respect.”