Strangers help family of boy who was injured on vacation in Belize

An 8-year-old Colorado boy is back in the U.S. thanks to the kindness of strangers after a cruise excursion went terribly wrong.

Stefan Keryan was on a Carnival cruise with his mom Heidi Keryan and sister last week. After docking in Belize, the family went on a horseback riding excursion. At one point Heidi said she heard Stefan call out in distress.

"I heard yelling and I looked over," Heidi recalled to ABC affiliate KMGH. "As it's running past, I see that the saddle is flipped and my son is being dragged by his foot. My older daughter and I started yelling and screaming and running as fast as we could to get to him. But that horse was really fast."

Stefan was rushed to a local hospital with multiple injuries, including third-degree burns, a skull fracture and brain contusion, according to his mom.

“I don’t want to lose my son. And if anybody knows somebody that will go get him and bring him home. That works too. I don’t care. I want to get him home,” she told KMGH.

After seeing Stefan's story on the local news, strangers connected the family to Peak Medevac, a Colorado-based air ambulance company, which airlifted the young boy for free on a medically equipped plane back to Colorado for further medical treatment.

Heidi Keryan said "angels and heroes" helped save her son's life.

In a statement to ABC News, Carnival Cruise Line said its "guest care team continues to keep close contact with the family and is helping to provide support and assistance during this difficult time.”

What to consider before a trip

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that travelers consider travel insurance options before heading out, especially if they have an underlying health condition or plan on embarking on adventure activities. Travelers can also call their insurance company to see if emergencies are covered during travel or purchase a short-term a supplemental policy that makes payments to hospitals directly.