Leon Springs -- A family out of Leon Springs had a strange experience Monday night.

It was 8:45pm when 10-year-old Benjamin Gardea says he stepped outside his house for a few minutes

"I was outside near the garden hose cleaning off some dirty shoes," Said Gardea.

And suddenly he heard a loud sound like an old lawn mower trying to start. At first Gardea says he thought the electricity lines were malfunctioning and sparks were flying out.

But then, "I looked up and I saw this fireball, I was scared and at first I thought martians." Said Gardea as he stared at the sky.

Ben's mom, Marianna Gardea was inside the house when she says Gardea ran to her screaming for help.

"He walked in just pale as a ghost, and said mom something happened outside, I don't know what it was," Said Marianna Gardea, "Finally a meteor just came to our mind."

The family walked outside to check out what Gardea just witnessed. Gardea said they looked for a while and finally found this piece of rock where he believes the fireball touched the ground before his eyes.

"We got a hammer and a chisel and we knocked it out, we looked at it and It looked like a meteorite," Said Gardea.

KENS 5 took the rock to UTSA'S Dr. Eric Schlegel. He admitted that finding a meteorite is extremely rare and his conclusion of the rock we gave him, "I think it's a very standard rock that comes out of Texas," Said Schlegel.

Based on it's weight and shape, Dr. Schlegel says it could have easily been a rock and a piece of the asphalt.

"It's not heavy enough to be a meteorite, a meteorite for this size would be closer to a pound and this is only an ounce or two," Said Schlege.

But Schlegel says the fireball Gardea witnessed that night was very real. He adds that it could have easily been a part of the Perseids meteor shower.

Despite that outcome, Gardea says he'll hold on to the special sight, with a story to share for years to come.

"I'm going to put it in a glass case, a thing to pass on to generations," Said Gardea.