A Canadian man is being hailed as a hero after rescuing an 8-year-old boy who was pulled underwater at a beach in Massachusetts.

Westport Police Department said in a press release they received multiple calls at approximately 7:45 p.m. ET on July 25, about a possible drowning at Horseneck Beach.

Witnesses told officials that a boy was pulled underwater several times by a strong undertow.

When emergency crews arrived on the scene, they learned that the boy had been brought to shore by a fellow beachgoer.

Gabriel Roy -- who was vacationing from Sherbrooke, Que. with his girlfriend Kasandra Rodgers -- jumped into the water and rescued the boy, according to witness reports.

Police said the boy was underwater "for a number of minutes" but never lost consciousness thanks to Roy's quick actions.

The boy was later taken to Hasbro Children's Hospital as a precaution.