Teen Assists In Rescue Of Missing Mayes County Boy

A teen helped rescue Jesse Young, a toddler missing for 26 hours in the woods near his home in Mayes County.

Seth Best rode on horseback with his dad to a spot nearly two miles away from where the toddler was last seen.

Seth Best and his horse Hass braved the thick woods to help find Jesse.

The 16-year-old said he was able to spot the little boy in just 30 minutes.

On a secluded ranch in Strang, you can find 16-year-old Seth Best tending to his horses. Riding and roping is something he's been doing for years.

"I grew up riding my horses all my life," said Seth.

So, when Seth's dad called him yesterday and told him to hop on his horse Hass and help search for missing 2-year-old Jesse Young, he didn't think twice.

"He called me told me to saddle some horses and meet him in Salina," Seth said.

Seth and Hass began the journey through thick Mayes County brush. At that point, the 2-year-old had been missing for more than a day.

"Going where people didn't want to go on foot with how thick it was, no one wanted to walk," he said.

And then Seth said he heard a small cry, looked down, and spotted the toddler halfway down a hill.

"Shocking. Out of everyone, I found him, heard him, seen him," he said.

Seth called 911 on the horse with Jesse in his arms, safe and sound.

Seth said Jesse was happy to be riding Hass and got to drink some Dr. Pepper.

"Horses and Dr. Pepper is what I believed he liked," said Seth.

Seth said a little over a year ago, he lost his older brother Bobby in a motorcycle accident.

But Thursday, he saved the life of another little boy.

Seth says he's no hero. He said he was just in the right place, at the right time.

"We were just helping out," Seth said.