Ada brothers injured in fall from Rock Creek Trail

SULPHUR, Okla. (KTEN) — Two young brothers from Ada are recovering from a serious fall two-and-a-half weeks ago.

Seven-year-old Dakota Duke and his three-year-old sibling Riley Duke were severely injured after falling nearly 100 feet from Rock Creek Trail at the Chickasaw National Recreation Area.

"Riley, he's just shown us how strong he really is throughout all of this," said Amy Branom, the boys' mother. "At one point, we were very scared that we weren't going to have the outcome that we wanted, but every day Riley shows so many improvements. Every day he amazes us." 

It was February 25 when park rangers, the Sulphur Fire Department, and Murray County EMS were called to the scene. The emergency staff recovered the brothers from Rock Creek, treated their injuries on scene, and transported them to definitive care facilities. 

"Dakota, he has no fear; he went after Riley after he fell without questions asked or anything," said Dakota McCollum the boys' godfather. "It was just his instinct; he just went right after Riley."

Dakota was in the hospital for three days and is now recovering at home.

Riley remains hospitalized.

"Riley is talking, and he got cleared to eat yesterday for the first time in almost two weeks," Branom said. "He'll be moving to the Bethany Rehabilitation Center for some more pretty intense physical therapy and speech therapy."

Branom said she appreciates everyone that has gone out of their way to help their family. 

"There are so many people that we have never even met, but they found it in their hearts to help strangers, and for that, we are forever grateful to them," Branom said. 

A close family friend has scheduled a fish fry benefit this weekend to help the family with medical expenses.

"We are doing this to help with their bills... and they are expensive for the hospital bills and hotel rooms, and just to help them get along because neither one of [their parents] can work; they have to be with him at all times. We are pretty much inseparable, and we are always there for each other," McCollum said.

The benefit event is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Fittstown Fire Department.