10/04/2025
Some positive, heroic, throwback energy for your weekends! Whether it’s a few years ago or realtime today, actions like this should inspire us to be better humans and live more positive lives. 🥰
On a sunny spring afternoon in Maryland, Jonathan Bauer was driving across the Route 90 Bridge with his 13-year-old daughter, Ava, when chaos unfolded in front of them. A pickup truck lost control, crashed into a barrier, flipped over another vehicle, and came to rest hanging over the guardrail. In the crash, a toddler was ejected from the truck and landed in the bay waters below, where she was struggling to stay afloat. Without a second thought, Bauer rushed out of his car, told his daughter to stay put, removed his shoes, and leapt more than 30 feet into the shallow bay, not knowing if he would survive the impact. He hit the sandy bottom but surfaced unharmed, swam to the toddler, and pulled her into his arms. She was unconscious, but after firm blows to her back, water poured out of her mouth, and finally she was able to start breathing again. A passing pontoon boat rescued them and rushed to shore, where paramedics took over. The girl survived with only a broken shoulder, and Bauer returned to the bridge to embrace his daughter, who had just watched her father risk his life for a stranger. Months later, Ava was so inspired that she joined the local fire cadet program, determined to save lives just like her father had.
