Hero dad climbs roof to rescue boy wandering on Hersheypark monorail track 100 feet above ground
A boy with Autism was on this track at Hershey Park before he was rescued by this man.
— Jennifer Coffindaffer (@CoffindafferFBI) September 1, 2025
So glad he was rescued.
P.S. Hershey Park is my favorite roller coaster park.#AutismAwareness #autistic pic.twitter.com/YZwaQAiuPM
HERSHEY, PENNSYLVANIA: A Pennsylvania father is being hailed as a hero after rescuing a missing child who was spotted walking along Hersheypark’s monorail track nearly 100 feet above the ground.
John Sampson of Bucks County said his instincts “kicked in” as he climbed onto a snack stand roof and pulled himself up to reach the boy on Saturday, August 30, bringing him safely down as stunned park-goers looked on.
John Sampson’s quick-thinking rescue
John Sampson told Fox 43 that instinct drove him to act immediately when he saw the child alone on the narrow track.
“Dad instincts kicked in, and then [I was] just trying to figure things out and how to get up there as fast as possible,” he recalled.
Videos shared on TikTok showed the tense moment as park guests shouted in panic, urging Sampson to reach the child. “Go to him now!” one person yelled as he climbed. Sampson said he felt “absolute relief” when he lifted the boy to safety. “Thank goodness he came straight into my arms, and it went nice and simple in that sense.”
Child got to track despite it being fenced off and barricaded
According to Hersheypark officials, the boy had been separated from his parents around 5 pm and somehow entered a secured area of the closed monorail attraction. Although the track was fenced off with a chained gate and barricaded turnstile, the child managed to access it and walked for roughly 20 minutes.
“We are grateful for the vigilance of our guests and the swift response of our team, and we remain committed to maintaining the highest levels of guest safety throughout Hersheypark,” the park said in a statement.
The boy was later reunited with his parents.
Crowd reaction and safety concerns
Spectators were visibly shaken as they shouted conflicting directions in an effort to guide the boy. When Sampson finally reached him, cheers and applause broke out across the park.
Hersheypark clarified that the monorail was not operating at the time and there had been no mechanical failure. Sampson’s actions prevented what could have been a catastrophic fall, and witnesses praised his courage.
