(CNN) A day at the beach turned into a frightening rescue for one 8-year-old boy after the giant unicorn-shaped raft he was playing on suddenly drifted out to sea. Declan O'Connor found himself holding on for life in the surf off Oak Island, North Carolina, as high winds swept him further into the Atlantic Ocean. Local rescue chief Tony Young credited the boy's decision to stick with the unicorn —a wise move, or else he might've drowned. The boy and the unicorn were initially stationed on the sand before a strong wave pulled them in the water. By the time his father jumped in to rescue him, the boy floated almost a half-mile beyond the shoreline.

Source: CNN June 11, 2019 16:34 UTC