CHARLOTTE, NC -- A Northern Michigan man is being hailed a hero after he rescued a child and a man from an ice covered pond.

It happened in Charlotte, North Carolina Tuesday afternoon. Petoskey native, Mark McCullagh, moved to the area in August.

McCullagh says "I didn't expect to see ice here in Charlotte.”

The incident occurred when a 9-year old girl was taking a walk around a pond near McCullagh’s apartment complex. She fell into the ice covered water trying to retrieve a tennis ball. A bystander tried to help, but he also fell through the ice.

McCullagh says "I was at home working and my daughter went outside and saw 2 people in water and came in and told me.”

He immediately ran outside tossing off most of his clothes before diving on his stomach across the ice.

McCullagh says "When I got to the little girl, the ice collapsed. I went in and pushed her to the surface of the ice so she could scoot out."

Then McCullagh pushed the other man to the edge. They waited until firefighters arrived minutes later and pulled them out with a rope.

McCullagh says "Good northern training thickened by blood.

Thanks to his heroic efforts everyone is ok. Now, McCullagh is warning his friends in Northern Michigan to be careful around ice.

McCullagh says “There is so much water and so much potential for children to experience a situation like this. I think it’s real important for kids to get lessons and learn water safety."

While everyone is ok, the mother of the little girl is thankful her child is alive.

Kimberly Crigger “I am just so extremely grateful to the gentleman who jumped in and saved her. I can't thank him enough."