Washington Township police, firefighters and emergency personnel helped get the boy down.
Jeremy Thompson likes climbing, according to his great-grandmother.
But the 10-year-old may not have realized how high up in a tree he was Saturday when one of the branches beneath him broke, leaving him stranded about 30 feet up.
"I kept telling Jeremy to hold on. He kept saying 'I'm OK, mom.' But he was scared," said Barbara Thompson, who a few years ago adopted her great-grandchildren Jeremey, Jordan and Jaelyn.
Police, firefighters and emergency personnel from the area responded to Thompson's home on Route 57 in Washington Township, Warren County, and in about 45 minutes had Jeremy safely on the ground, Barbara said.
They never scolded the boy, who was uninjured, she said. But he had "a good learning experience."
"He was holding on for dear life," she said. "I don't think he'll do that again."
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.