13-year-old Maryland boy honored after flash floods trapped him in storm drain

A 13-year-old boy died after flash floods wedged him into a storm drain in Mount Airy, Maryland, on Thursday, July 31. The teenager was identified as Mason Kearns.

One day after the tragedy, Kearns' family paid their respects in an emotional tribute at the scene, but asked for privacy as they grieved. 

A single rose was placed on the open drain where the accident unfolded.

The rescue operation 

"All of a sudden, it just started pouring down rain, and it was not stopping—thunder, lightning, the whole nine yards—and it was very scary." Alicia Myers told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren.

That rain would not let up as the tragic incident began just before 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

Water overflowed from a large retention pond and swept Kearns away. 

Within minutes, it pushed the 13-year-old boy into the drain, which was not covered by a grate. 

In pictures neighbors shared with WJZ, you can see first responders with water up to their waists trying to save the child. They worked to pump out as much water as they could—and were eventually able to grab him.

They did not let go. 

"This isn't one you can train for. It just doesn't happen very often," said Doug Alexander with the Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company. "It took 45 or 50 minutes until they were able to get him extricated. The water was coming so hard that they couldn't pull him out, and the pressure was kind of sucking him into the pipe, so they did get a grip on him so he didn't wash further into the pipe until they could work up a way to get him out."

Open storm drain 

One day after the tragedy, the waters had receded, and the uncovered drain was visible with a child's inflatable ball inside. 

"As a nurse, I can't even imagine. The first thing I would do is save someone, of course. Honestly, the first thing I wanted to do was go in that storm drain myself and start digging stuff out to try to, but it wouldn't have helped," neighbor Alicia Myers said. "It would have just gotten me hurt. But it's horrible. It's very horrible, and I feel so bad for the family who had to go through that."

Several apartments nearby were flooded. 

Crews were cleaning up, and hearts were heavy on Friday.

"This kind of thing is going to be shocking no matter where it takes place, but when it's right around the corner, it's doubly shocking," neighbor Jay Seaborg said. "Just how fast it can all disappear: One moment you're playing around, and the next moment you're swept away in a flash flood."

Neighbor Maria Petrucci called it traumatic.

"It's like I could feel the sadness," she told Hellgren as she walked past the scene. "It really hits home."