11-23-07
A camping trip for a mother and son turned deadly in a remote part of Southern Arizona, when the mother crashed the vehicle while rounding a curve on the road. The van plunged down a canyon and came to rest 300 feet from the road. The 9-year-old boy wasn’t seriously injured after the accident, but his mother wasn’t so lucky. The child set off for help as his mother lay dying in the van.

During his search for help, he was rescued by Jesus Manuel
Cordova,  a  26-year-old  Mexican  National  who  was
sneaking into the country illegally. Jesus was unable to pull the mother from the vehicle or do anything to help. She would die from her injuries. Jesus stayed with the boy overnight, comforting him, building a bonfire, and lending the 9-year-old his jacket as temperatures plummeted.

A pair of hunters finally passed by at around 8:00 A.M  and called authorities. Cordova was taken into custody by border control agents.  Though help arrived too late to save the boys mother, Tony  Estrada, Santa Cruz County Sheriff. said that Cordova likely saved the boy, who otherwise might have died from exposure.