On March 7, Paige Tekippe and her dad, Tim, had planned a relaxed Saturday outing originally considering taking their horses out or going for a hike before deciding to head to Arrowrock Road to check out some hot springs. Paige noted it was "kind of odd" they chose that road, since her mom and sister were out of town in Arizona. They loaded up their side-by-side (an off-road vehicle similar to an ATV) and headed out with their dogs.Almost immediately after unloading the side-by-side from the trailer, they pulled in behind a black GMC pickup truck on the road. They followed for about five miles when an oncoming vehicle approached on the narrow road. WATCH | The Tekippe's recount the harrowing crash Father and daughter honored for saving lives in Arrowrock Road crash"They moved over to the side of the road, and they really just moved over too far, and we saw the pickup bounce and roll off," Tim Tekippe explained.Paige watched as the truck flipped down the steep ledge at least twice before launching itself about 30 feet out into the reservoir."If it didn't flip once, it flipped twice, and it launched itself in the middle of the reservoir, probably 30 ft out there. It was a ways out, which doesn't sound too far, but when you're going out there in freezing cold water, it's a really far ways," Paige Tekippe added.By the time they pulled up, the truck was already floating in the water, nose down with the tailgate up in the air. The dark, tinted windows made it impossible to see how many people were inside.The Tekippes immediately jumped into action."You can't think in those scenarios. You're acting off of your instinct, and that's the only thing that you can go off of," Paige Tekippe commented.Paige slid down the steep bank on her butt, grabbed a rock from the shore, and swam out to the truck, fully clothed in a jacket, vest, and jeans. She said she could hear her dad screaming "Grab a rock, grab a rock" behind her.When Paige grabbed the gas cover on the truck, the pickup moved, surprising her. She tried to break the back driver's side window, but was too cold and exhausted to do it. Then she heard a light tapping on the glass from inside. A sound she will never forget."That it's like, oh, they are awake, they're alert in there, they are trying to get out," Paige Tekippe said.Tim swam up behind her, climbed into the bed of the pickup with a rock, and broke out the center rear window, but it was too small to pull anyone through. He quickly smashed the window behind the driver's side and found a 6-year-old boy inside."Pulled him out. Paige had climbed up and gave him to Paige, and at this point, the pickup's almost underwater," Tim Tekippe recalled.As Tim broke out a third window, the sinking pickup pulled them all underwater with it. Tim remembered looking up at the water's surface and having to swim back to the top. He had initially thought the water might be shallow enough to stand on the roof of the submerged truck, but when the police boat arrived, they were told the water was 41 feet deep.Both Tim and Paige resurfaced, with the 6-year-old clinging to Paige until they reached shore. The first time Paige heard the boy speak was while she was holding him as the truck was sinking. He screamed for his mother, father, and baby brother."He was climbing all over me because he was screaming for his mommy, his daddy, his baby brother, and it was such a relief when we finally heard the mom's voice pop up behind us," Paige Tekippe recounted.The mother had escaped through the passenger side front window. Tim later learned that her husband had helped push her out before the truck went under. Tim said he wished the windows hadn't been tinted, as being able to see inside might have helped them figure out what to do faster.Sadly, the boy's father and brother did not make it out alive. The driver of the oncoming vehicle also got into the water and helped get the boy and the mother to shore. The community that gathered helped the Tekippes and the survivors up the steep ledge, provided dry clothes, and gave the mother and son a warm car to sit in for privacy.An off-duty sheriff who was part of the group in the oncoming vehicle had a satellite phone and was able to call for help. It took about half an hour for the sheriff to arrive. A sheriff's boat was the first responder on the scene, arriving over the submerged pickup while there were still bubbles coming up.By the time they swam back to shore, Tim and Paige were so cold and exhausted that the last stretch of swimming was a struggle."Wish that we could have saved everybody in the pickup. At the same time, you know, happy, happy that we were, we were able to help out," Tim Tekippe added.A few days after the incident, the Tekippes heard from the mother. Paige said hearing from her was a "really big relief," especially learning how grateful she was."In that moment, you're thinking, you're replaying the situation, what should you have done? What should you have not done," Paige Tekippe noted.The Tekippes attended the funeral for the father and young son who did not survive. Tim said it was a "really nice tribute" and that the mother has a strong support group of family and friends, including family who live nearby.Paige said the comfort she and Tim hold onto is knowing the mother and son have each other."They have the support of two angels, two guardian angels guiding them now, and they can live their lives for them," Paige Tekippe commented.The experience has also brought the Tekippe family closer together. Paige said she now calls her dad much more than she ever did before, and he checks on her throughout the day. The whole family, including Paige's mom and sister, is checking on each other more frequently."Traumatic thing like that happens and it makes you really realize what's important," Tim Tekippe said.On Friday afternoon, the Tekippes and another neighbor were honored by Idaho State Police for their heroic actions. But the recognition isn't what they want people to remember.Tim explained the specific danger of Arrowrock Road: it has long straightaways where it is tempting to drive fast, but then there are narrow corners where the edge of the road is soft. He noted there are many other roads like it across Idaho."When you're in the mountains on a curvy road, slow down," Tim Tekippe remarked.Paige added that even being in a large pickup truck doesn't make you safe on that road. She acknowledged that many people might have stood at the top of the ledge and decided not to get into a dangerous situation and that it could have gone badly for them too."I hope it can kind of inspire the community to, you know, reach a helping hand out to people in need, cause that can kind of make or break a situation," Paige Tekippe said.Boise County has started a GoFundMe to begin its own search and rescue team. You can find the link by clicking here.To help honor the survivors' loved ones, you can donate by clicking here. ...read more read less