SOMERSET, Ky. (LEX 18) — 2-year-old Beren Cook loves dinosaurs of all kinds, but his favorite is the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Last Saturday, his interest in the prehistoric creatures took a dangerous turn, after a loud sound from a dirt bike in his yard scared him.
His father Jeremy Cook explains, "I started one of the dirt bikes and within about 30 seconds he was gone. Like, I mean we was looking around like where's he at, so immediately we started the search."
Beren managed to get around two miles away from his home by the time first responders from around Pulaski County were able to find him. Crews got the call close to 9:00 p.m. and were finally able to find him and his dog a few hours later. Later, he told his mom he went out looking for a T-Rex in the woods behind their home.
One responder and Hazmat Tech for the Pulaski County Special Response Team, Kyle Dowell, says, "We've all talked, several of us, I don't know how the kid did it, he's tough as nails. Two years old, walk that far in the dark, by himself. I mean it's tough."
First responders say it was emotional to see the family reunited again and say that the quick action is a testament to the strength of this community.
Dowell says, "I've got a 5-year-old son at home, so, it hits hard. Especially when it's a kid."
Haynes Knob Fire Chief Jeremy Strunk says, "Pulaski County is pretty fortunate with all the responders, especially volunteer responders that we have that will come out and get a job done, when it needs to be done."
Now, nearly one week later, Jeremy Cook says he can’t thank the teams – representing 50 people from agencies around the county — enough.
He says, "The Haynes Knob area and the people who volunteer, the first responders, they're great people. That's all I know how to say, I mean it's great, great people."
The members of the Haynes Knob Fire Department and crews involved in the search made sure Beren got a T-Rex of his very own, to take home.
