05/18/2026
A group of soon‑to‑be U.S. Marines stepped in to help emergency responders rescue an injured teenage hiker deep in the Angelina National Forest on Saturday afternoon.
At 12:43 p.m. on March 14, Angelina River Fire and Rescue was dispatched to a report of a hiker needing medical treatment along a trail at Boykin Springs Recreation Area. Allegiance Mobile Health – Jasper EMS and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office also responded.
When firefighters arrived, witnesses reported that the injured hiker was located roughly three‑quarters of a mile down the Aldridge Sawmill trail, requiring crews to travel deep into the woods. Because of the difficult terrain and the challenge of removing the patient, additional assistance was requested from Zavalla Volunteer Fire Department and Beech Grove Volunteer Fire Department.
Firefighters from Angelina River and Zavalla VFD hiked down the trail and located the injured hiker, a 15‑year‑old from the Nacogdoches area, who appeared to have a fractured leg. Beech Grove firefighters and Jasper EMS medics soon followed with specialized equipment for transporting patients through rough terrain.
While responders worked their way in, an unexpected group of volunteers stepped forward.
A group of high school seniors enrolled in the U.S. Marine Corps Delayed Entry Program through the Lufkin recruiting office happened to be at Boykin Springs for a strength and conditioning event. When they learned about the rescue, the future Marines immediately volunteered to help carry the injured teen out of the forest.
These students had already enlisted in the Marine Corps and were scheduled to ship out for training after graduating high school later in the spring.
Working alongside firefighters and EMS personnel, the poolees helped carry the patient nearly three‑quarters of a mile back to the trailhead, where an ambulance was waiting.
The injured teen was transported to a Lufkin‑area hospital for further treatment.
Fire officials praised the young recruits for stepping in during a challenging rescue effort.