An Atmore mother is breathing easier today after a child’s game led to a close call Sunday morning.

Ashley Dortch Hughes got quite a scare when she walked outside of her home to find her young son Caden stuck in a tree, nearly 30 feet in the air.

Hughes, whose husband Chris is an Atmore firefighter, called the authorities who immediately responded to the scene.

Atmore Fire Chief Gerry McGhee, as well as Hughes and firefighters Brandon Barber and Eugene Edwards, responded to the call. McGhee, aided only by a ladder, scaled the slender tree and was able to safely lower the young boy to the ground.

In a facebook post Mrs. Hughes expressed her gratitude to the department for acting so swiftly and averting a possible tragedy.

“Praise the Lord for angels on assignment and the quick response of the Atmore Fire Dept.,” Hughes posted. “Caden climbed a tree in the backyard about 30 feet high. Thank you Chief McGhee for climbing the tree to keep my baby safe! Thanks to my wonderful husband for his quick response and thinking of what to do! Also, thank you to Brandon and Eugene!”

For more on the story of this close call, see the Wednesday, Nov. 7 edition of The Atmore Advance.