This is the 11323rd most frequent Russian word.
держался
"Держался" means "held on" or "kept oneself" (referring to maintaining a position, composure, or state).
In this sentence, 'держался' refers to the act of persistently holding onto something figurative, like a dream or aspiration.
Он упорно держался за свою мечту.
He stubbornly held on to his dream.
Here, 'держался' is used in the context of physically holding onto something, in this case, his mother's hand.
Мальчик держался за руку матери, переходя дорогу.
The boy held onto his mother's hand while crossing the road.
In this example, 'держался' is used to indicate the way someone carries or conducts themselves in a situation.