BROOKLYN PARK — First responders and others are praising two young boys who came to the aid of a woman who broke through the ice on a pond near her Brooklyn Park home.

Sheree Risvold was chasing after her 5-year-old son Jameson last Sunday. The child has autism and is fascinated by water.

Jameson was watching 14-year-old Emerson Olson and his 11-year-old brother Everett play basketball at Brook Oaks Park Sunday when he took off running for the nearby pond.

Risvold tells the Star Tribune she broke through the ice after following Jameson out onto the pond.

“I heard the ice start to crack and I knew I was probably going to fall in,” she said. “But as it was happening, I was like, ‘This can’t be happening.’ ”

The boy’s siblings ran to the Olson brothers for help.

Emerson, who wants to be a doctor, saw Risvold in the water and knew he needed to stay calm.

“I didn’t want to make the situation worse,” he said.

Emerson called 911 first and then Risvold’s husband while Emerson held onto Jameson.

First reponders arrived quickly and rescued Risvold.

The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office plans to nominate the boys for life-saving awards.

“They want these boys to be recognized,” Risvold said. “They did a good thing by coming and helping us. To encourage this type of behavior is important.”