TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- A 9-year-old Cub Scout from Tuscaloosa is being recognized for heroism after he helped save a woman from drowning in a creek.

The Tuscaloosa News reports Ben Rose was awarded the Medal of Merit by the Boy Scouts of America during an assembly at his school last week.

The boy's father says they were going fishing last summer at Deerlick Creek when they heard screaming. He says Ben ran ahead and found a woman floating at the far end of a roped-off swimming area. He and another boy swam out and pulled the woman to shore by the time the Scout's father arrived.

Matt Rose said the woman's family called a few days later to say that she was fine.