3 boys rescued after falling through frozen pond in Chalfont, Bucks County

CHALFONT, Pa. (WPVI) -- Three boys were hospitalized after falling through a frozen pond in Chalfont, Bucks County.

It was an emotional moment Sunday night as 12-year-old Collin Orr and his family spoke with Action News about the frightening ordeal.

"I was like wow I'm gonna die. It kind of felt like I was going to die at that point," said Collin.

The call came in around 2 p.m. Sunday at Pipers Place off of Highland Drive.

Collin, 13-year-old Justin Edwards and another 12-year-old boy were walking on the ice when it cracked beneath them.

"When it broke, I was the first one to fall in, and instantly as a reaction, I still know this is bad, but I grabbed on to the ice to get back on, but then it broke," said Collin.

David Bennett and two other neighbors ran to help. They pulled one boy out with a stick, but they couldn't reach the other two.

"I tried to swim out there, tried to break the ice down. The one kid was just screaming he couldn't swim so I was yelling at him hold on to the bars, hold on to the grate," said Bennett.

Collin climbed up on a drain grate, but Edwards couldn't. Seeing his friend struggle, Collin says he jumped back in the water.

"I got his hand and then I got his backpack off and then I put him on," said Collin. "He was like (makes breathing sound) and he instantly thanked me because he's polite."

Divers from the Chalfont Volunteer Fire Department used a raft to rescue the boys who had been in the water for 30 minutes.

"I want to thank the neighbors, everybody that came to get them out, everybody at the hospital," said Christopher Orr, father. "We can't thank them enough."

Besides some cuts on his hands and mild hypothermia, Collin says he is doing well and has learned a valuable lesson.

"Do not ever, ever go on a pond that is frozen," said Collin. "Otherwise, you're going to be probably regret it."

All of the boys have hypothermia, but they are all back home and warming up.