AMERICAN FORK -- It started out as a typical family reunion -- with July temperatures, family members took the opportunity to cool off, tubing in the Port Neuf River in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho.

Then came what could have been a tragedy but was rapidly averted by a quick-thinking Scout.

For his action, Christopher Strong was honored Thursday with a national award from the Boy Scouts of America, the Heroism Award. He is the son of Paul and Shauna Strong of American Fork.

The 16-year-old American Fork High School student didn't stop to consider the options; he just took immediate action to save someone from drowning.

"On the third run of the day, a young girl about 10 or 11 years old was playing on a rope and board hanging from the bridge about 60 feet from the exit point [of the river]," says his award summary. "Chris and others were exiting just past the bridge and heard screams. They looked back and saw that the girl had fallen in the river and was tangled in the rope. She was swimming in place and fighting the current while trying to keep her head out of water."

Strong explained what happened after that.

"I ran up on the bank," he said in an interview. "It was about 6 feet high. I had to grab onto some bushes to get there. I ran to where she was and jumped back into the water. I helped push her up. My uncle came and helped me and another guy came. I started to get her untangled from the rope. I helped her get out. She was crying. Then she ran across the bridge and ran [to the campground]."

The third man who helped also disappeared and Chris and the girl never saw each other again.

Strong didn't think about it any more, saying it was just the natural thing anybody would do.

His uncle, Paul Hansen, who was with him, has a different opinion.

"I was very impressed with Chris," he said. "He didn't hesitate but just jumped in the river. I think he cut his leg a little bit." Hansen explained the river bed was covered with sharp lava rock.

Hansen told the story from his point of view.

"Chris was with our group of 15-20 people as we floated the river on the second afternoon," he said. "We were having a great time and were finishing up our third run of the afternoon when things turned from fun to serious. At the end of each ride down the river you have to jump off your tube, make your way over to the bank, throw your tube up a 3- to 4-foot bank, and then climb out yourself. We always do this on the west end of town where trucks can meet us and take us back to our starting point. Near the takeout point a bridge crosses the water from the swimming pool to a family campground. The bridge is about 20 feet long and sits about 4 to 5 feet above the water. The water directly under the bridge is 3 to 4 feet deep and the kids from the campground love to swim there.

"One of their favorite activities is river surfing. This is possible because a rope attached to the bridge holds a boogie-board type structure on the other end. Another rope with a handle is also tied onto the bridge. The kids love to stand up on the board using the handle for balance and move back and forth in the river. A third rope was also tied to the bridge that the kids use for swinging.

"A 10- to 11-year-old girl was on the board having a great time as we floated by. After floating past the bridge, we began pulling our tubes out of the water about 30 feet farther down the river. That's when we heard screams of laughter turn to screams of fear. We all turned to see what was happening. The young girl had fallen off the board into the water. However, the rope that was tied to the bridge for swinging had wrapped around her ankle and she was stuck swimming in place while the river tried to push her farther down stream.

"She wasn't strong enough to fight against the water to free herself from the rope and was struggling just to keep her head above water. Chris had been one of the first of our group to climb up onto the bank and was the first to react when he saw what was happening. He quickly ran up the bank and jumped into the river where the girl was struggling. He made it over to her and scooped her up in his arms, holding her head well above the water. By the time I made it to the pair I could tell Chris was struggling to keep his footing against the current. I stood behind Chris to brace him from falling and a third man came a few seconds later to free the rope from the girl's ankle. Chris then carried her back over to the bank and helped her out of the water to safety. She quickly ran back across the bridge to the campground where her family was staying."

Hansen complimented Strong for his action.

"I am proud of Chris for the way he reacted that day," he said. "He put a stranger's safety above his own and kept a fun day on the river from turning into a tragedy. His quick reaction made all the difference."

John Miller, who conducted the meeting at which Strong received the award, also paid him a compliment.

"If I am going some place and get in trouble, I want you right there with me," he said to Strong.

He was honored with a standing ovation for his quick thinking and action.