Fairview RCMP responded to a missing persons report on May 11 at 10:24 p.m. of a two year old who had wandered from their rural residence in Clear Hills County.

Police alerted the RCMP real time operation center and called in multiple partners and volunteers to help search.

Assisting groups included Grande Prairie police dog services, British Columbia RCMP remote piloted aircraft systems, the Worsley fire department, Grande Prairie technical search and rescue, and over 100 volunteers from the community.

They searched all through the night until Grande Prairie’s search and rescue helicopter spotted the child. They had wandered one kilometre away from home, and were found in good health.

“I would like to thank all of those who answered our call for help. Between the various RCMP units, Worsley Fire Department, Grande Prairie Technical Search & Rescue and all the volunteers, we were able to quickly cover search ground as well as have teams dedicated to other necessary search tasks. This is a fine example of partners and community coming together to achieve an important goal,” said Cst. Lucas Lehman of the Fairview RCMP detachment.

A collective sigh of relief swept across the small community of Rocky Rapids, Alberta, after a two-year-old child who went missing was found safe following a tense and exhaustive 18-hour search involving local authorities, volunteers, aircraft, and police dogs. The toddler, identified as Mason Grady, disappeared from his family’s rural property late Monday afternoon, prompting a large-scale response that quickly escalated as daylight faded and temperatures dropped.

Mason had last been seen playing in the backyard of his family’s home around 4:30 p.m. According to his mother, Hannah Grady, she stepped inside momentarily to check on dinner and when she returned minutes later, Mason was gone. Initially thinking he had wandered inside or to the nearby shed, the family searched the immediate area. After ten minutes with no sign of the boy, they called 911.

RCMP from the Drayton Valley detachment responded within minutes and immediately began canvassing the area. As dusk settled, concern grew quickly due to the child’s age, the wooded terrain surrounding the property, and dropping temperatures forecasted to reach near-freezing overnight. By 7:00 p.m., the RCMP activated a full ground search. Alberta Search and Rescue Association teams were deployed, including thermal-imaging drones and canine units trained to detect human scent.

Officials say the search radius was expanded rapidly as tracking dogs followed faint traces along a deer trail leading northwest into thick brush. “We were racing against time,” said Sgt. Laura Mitchell, the RCMP’s incident commander. “The terrain was rough, and visibility was poor. Our greatest concern was exposure. A child that young alone in the woods is extremely vulnerable to the elements.”

The RCMP also coordinated with STARS Air Ambulance and Alberta Forestry Services to dispatch helicopters equipped with night-vision capabilities to aid in the search from above. A temporary command post was established at the community center, and over 100 volunteers joined law enforcement officers, combing fields, marshland, and dense forest under flashlights and flood lamps.

Throughout the night, Mason’s parents remained on-site with officers, helping by providing personal items to assist the tracking dogs and giving details about his habits, favorite toys, and any common phrases he might respond to. “It was the longest night of our lives,” said Hannah, tearfully recounting the ordeal. “I kept thinking—what if he’s scared, what if he’s cold? I just needed to hold him again.”

Just after 10 a.m. the following morning, cheers erupted at the command center. A search team led by Constable Rajiv Kaur and a German Shepherd unit located Mason sitting under a pine tree nearly two kilometers from his home. He was curled up, wearing only a light jacket and rain boots, but was conscious, responsive, and—astonishingly—uninjured. “He looked up at us, smiled, and said, ‘Doggie?’” Constable Kaur said with a laugh. “It was the best moment of the entire operation.”

Mason was quickly wrapped in a thermal blanket, given fluids, and transported by ambulance to Drayton Valley Hospital, where doctors confirmed he was in good health with only minor signs of dehydration and mild hypothermia. “It’s truly remarkable,” said Dr. Erin Morris, the attending pediatrician. “For a toddler to have spent a cold night outdoors with no shelter and come out virtually unharmed is extremely rare. He’s one tough little guy.”

RCMP officers praised the speed and coordination of the response, emphasizing that successful outcomes in missing child cases often come down to the first few hours. “Every moment matters,” said Sgt. Mitchell. “The collaboration between agencies, the community support, and a bit of good luck led to Mason being brought home safely. It could have gone a very different way.”

While the community celebrated the happy ending, questions remain as to how Mason managed to wander so far without being noticed. The Grady property backs onto Crown land, and it’s believed Mason followed a game trail often used by wildlife. Authorities stressed there was no evidence of foul play, and the incident appears to be a case of a child simply wandering off.

In the wake of the search, safety advocates have urged families living in rural areas to take extra precautions, such as installing child-proof gates and motion sensors, or ensuring children are always supervised while outside. “We’re not assigning blame here,” said Tracy Miller of Alberta Child Safety Services. “But this is a reminder to all parents—especially those in rural or forested areas—just how quickly these situations can unfold.”

The Gradys have expressed immense gratitude to all who took part in the search, from police and search-and-rescue volunteers to neighbors who brought food and offered their land for teams to traverse. “We are overwhelmed by the love and support,” said Mason’s father, Jason Grady. “These people dropped everything to look for our boy. We can never repay them, but we’ll never forget what they did.”

Local businesses in Rocky Rapids have already begun organizing a community barbecue to thank the rescue workers and volunteers. Donations are also being gathered to help equip local search-and-rescue teams with additional supplies, such as updated GPS systems, all-terrain gear, and drone equipment. “This event opened our eyes to the importance of being prepared,” said Mayor Lindsay Powell. “We’re incredibly lucky it ended the way it did, but we have to learn from it.”

While Mason continues to recover at home—now a minor celebrity among locals—his story has spread far beyond Alberta. Social media lit up with messages of hope and joy as news of his rescue broke. Photos of Mason reunited with his parents, clutching a stuffed bear provided by a volunteer, have gone viral, bringing an emotional conclusion to what could have been a devastating story.

RCMP officials confirmed that there would be a formal debrief of the search operation in the coming weeks, with the goal of documenting best practices and identifying areas for improvement in future cases. “We had a good outcome this time,” said Sgt. Mitchell, “but we have to keep building on what we’ve learned. These situations don’t always end this way. We want to be ready for the next one.”

For now, Rocky Rapids is savoring a rare and precious outcome: a child, lost in the woods, found alive and well thanks to a determined and united community. The search may be over, but the story of Mason Grady will be told for years as a testament to resilience, teamwork, and the strength of hope.