GOSHEN — Many 10-year-olds fantasize about being a superhero, but in Mason Neveu’s case, he is the real deal.
Mason was honored Tuesday evening by the state Department of Fire Services Public Safety Unit, the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Goshen Fire Department for his rescue of a lost child in the woods of Ashfield last month.
“We are so proud of him,” said one of Mason’s mothers, Monica Neveu, remembering the evening of March 23 and the desperate search for 4-year-old Colton Roberts, who was missing in the woods while playing with his puppy at his family’s new home in Ashfield. “He just wouldn’t give up.”
More than 80 family members, friends, town officials and firefighters from surrounding towns attended the ceremony at the Goshen Fire Department to watch Mason receive his awards.
“It is really exciting to be here and to be able to honor this young man,” David J. Beaudin, a supervisor with the state fire marshal’s office, said as he presented Mason with a “Young Heroes” medal and a commendation.
Goshen Fire Chief Sue Labrie also presented Mason with a certificate of recognition for his rescue, and a commendation signed by state Rep. Stephen Kulik, D-Worthington, and other members of the House.
In the early evening of March 23, while family members, rescue personnel from the Ashfield Fire Department, Ashfield and State Police, and members of the Goshen Fire Department combed the area near the home of Chris and Erica Roberts, it was Mason who discovered the frightened child tearfully wandering a half mile into the woods.
Though Mason’s age makes his role noteworthy on its own, the fact that he was born blind in one eye, deaf in one ear, and with a cleft lip and cleft palate that has required over 18 reconstructive surgeries makes his story even more impressive.
“He has always been an amazing kid and I have always admired his courage,” Mason’s mother Marianne Neveu said through tears of pride.
Despite these challenges, he was the only one to hear Colton’s cries and to spot him with his puppy, Ranger, as they were traveling farther away from the home and deeper into the woods.
According to Goshen Fire Capt. Bob Labrie, Ashfield had not actually called the Goshen firefighters to the scene. But they got involved because Colton’s parents, Chris and Erica Roberts, are both Goshen firefighters.
“I know it sounds corny, but we really are like family,” Bob Labrie said.
Sue Labrie, who is married to Bob, was on her way home when she received a call from Chris Roberts that Colton was missing.
Labrie immediately told Roberts to call 911, headed for the fire station to pick up search-and-rescue equipment, and alerted Monica Neveu, a Goshen fire captain who lives near the Roberts home.
Neveu, who lives with her wife, Marianne Neveu, also a firefighter with the Goshen department, was recuperating from hip surgery and at home with their three sons, Adrien, 14, a junior firefighter, and twin boys Dylan and Mason.
Having served with the Fire Department for 16 years, Neveu said her family and most of the other Goshen firefighters have known Colton since he was a baby because he has been a regular fixture around the fire station since he was born.
“I just turned to the kids and said Colton is lost. We have to go help find him,” Neveu said.
And off they went, Neveu hobbling on one crutch and Mason, who had been home with a cold, still dressed in his Batman pajamas, along with his two brothers.
Neveu and her sons joined the search as it was getting underway shortly after 5 p.m.
The family split up, with Neveu and Mason searching together.
“We were about a half mile into the woods when it got to be close to 6 p.m. I started thinking that we should turn back to get more equipment,” Neveu said. “But Mason didn’t want to leave and said, ‘Mom, this is really serious, he could die out here.’”
Within minutes, Mason said he thought he heard something and alerted his mother to the sound.
“I listened, and I didn’t hear a thing,” Neveu said. “Then he said he heard it again, and still I heard nothing.”
Mason, convinced he heard crying, immediately took off over a ridge and Neveu knew he was serious.
“This is my son who doesn’t even like to go downstairs by himself in his own home,” Neveu said.
Within moments, Mason appeared again, holding Colton by the hand with Ranger at his side.
“Colton was very upset and crying and calling for his mommy, but I was able to calm him down,” Neveu said. “It was just amazing. I had been ready to turn back, and it was Mason who stopped me.”
Colton was safely returned home and reunited with his parents.
“When we got back to the house, there were blue and red lights flashing with emergency vehicles everywhere, and they had just called off a K-9 unit that was on its way from Worcester,” Neveu said.
Roberts said he was very happy and relieved to see his son emerge safely from the woods.
Bob Labrie noted that having a child go missing is every parent’s nightmare, especially because they know how easily something like this can happen in the blink of an eye.
“I think this was great, it was fun,” Mason said about the ceremony. “But what was really a great experience was finding Colton. I am very thankful for that. Luckily, that turned out to be a good day.”
During the ceremony, Mason called Colton up to give him some gifts of his own, a ball emblazoned with the Batman logo and a rescue whistle to hang around his neck in case he ever gets lost again.
The Fire Department’s special gift to Mason was an official Goshen Fire Department T-shirt that had been personalized just for him.
On the front it has the Goshen Fire Department logo, while on the back is the phrase “Young Hero” with a small bat pictured between the two words, a nod to a youngster in the Batman pajamas whose superhero deeds will be remembered by the department, a grateful Roberts family, and the community for years to come.
“We have always seen Mason as a capable young man. Now we see him as a young hero,” Chief Labrie said.