Car accident on a bridge, baby is ejected over the rail and into the water, and this guy goes over to save her.

I'm sure these things happen much more than we know about, but the world is full of regular people who do amazing things when faced with a situation.

When this was first reported, the man wanted to remain anonymous, and only came forward after knowing that the little girl he saved was going to be ok.

This is a Hero! The term can sometimes be overused these days, but this qualifies. Well done and a selfless act.

No question that man is a hero in my mind! Great post.

Well done, sir. I'd gladly shake his hand. His family should be proud.

Deeds not words. Live by it.

Jonathan gets today's Lenny Skutnik award.

He looks like a man. A person who would do amazing things unencumbered by the idiotic desire to capture things on social media.

Respect.

What a hero! Quick thinking there.

My swimming skills (1980 Olympic team wannabe) and current ignorance about my physical condition, I would not have hesitated longer than to determine how high the bridge is and how deep the water to account for once I hit.

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:
Jonathan gets today's Lenny Skutnik award.

Lenny’s be proud of that award. So would Arland D. Williams Jr.

What a guy! More details here:

https://www.delmarvanow.com/st...an-bauer/4971679001/

Meet good Samaritan who rescued toddler in bay after Route 90 bridge crash

Matthew Prensky
Salisbury Daily Times
Updated 9:20AM May 8, 2021

OCEAN CITY, Md. — What started out as a few errands turned into a day Jonathan Bauer will never forget. It's the day he put the life of a toddler, unknown to him, before that of his own.

After witnessing a May 2 crash on Route 90 that left a truck teetering on the bridge's guardrail, Bauer jumped off the bridge and into the water below to rescue the girl.

Ocean City first responders gathered at one of the town's fire departments to celebrate the act of heroism and recall the dramatic events of the multivehicle crash that caused the girl to be ejected from a pickup truck and fall several dozen feet into the Assawoman Bay below.

The 2-year old was released Wednesday from Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore, where she had been airlifted. Police say the young girl is expected to make a full recovery.

Seven other people in the five-car crash Sunday afternoon were treated and released from hospitals, police said Monday.

Bauer, who works at Atlantic General Hospital, initially decided not to come forward as the good Samaritan who saved the 2-year old's life but eventually changed his mind in part to meet some of the first responders who were dispatched to the scene of the May 2 crash.

With his wife and daughter by his side, Jonathan sat down for the first time publicly Friday to explain what happened May 2, a day which he and his daughter still get emotional thinking about.

At times both Jonathan and his own 13-year-old daughter, Ava, wiped away tears as the two recalled the crash.

"First thing I remember hearing was the tire screech, and then the truck swaying back and forth like it was losing control," Bauer said.

After checking on Ava, who was in the car with him, he approached the truck, whose driver was able to exit the vehicle.

"I looked over and I saw the car seat, some other items, and then about about 6 feet away from the car seat, I saw the little girl and she was on her back floating perfectly on her back, arms moving, legs kicking," Bauer said.

Bauer frantically looked around to see if there were any boats around that could help the toddler, but none were in the area, he said.

"Then I looked over to the water and she had flipped over onto her stomach and her face was in the water," Bauer said, choking up.

He yelled for Ava to find emergency responders before taking the plunge.

DETAILS OF THE CRASH:What we know about Route 90 bridge crash that sent toddler into the water

BACKGROUND:Toddler rescued from Assawoman Bay after Route 90 crash released from hospital: police

More:Raw video: Good Samaritan saves infant in bay

More:Good Samaritan rescues infant from bay after vehicle crash: Ocean City Fire Department

"I popped up, swam over to the girl and lifted her out of the water," Bauer said. "Her mouth was open, her eyes were semi open. And then I raised my shoulder very high and aggressively patted her on her back. Within seconds she spit up a bunch of water and started coughing.

A nearby boat picked up the child and Bauer to take them to shore, where emergency responders met them.

Watching her father leap from the bridge scared Ava, she said. She worried her father would land head first in the Assawoman Bay and hurt himself, or even worse. He landed feet first.

“It was probably the scariest moment of my life seeing my dad jump off the bridge,” Ava said.

First responders thank Bauer

Friday's meeting was the first chance for the first responder community in Ocean City to publicly thank Bauer for his actions Sunday. It was also Bauer's first chance to meet many of the firefighters, paramedics and boaters who saved him and the 2-year old.

Rob Korb, a Worcester County fire marshal, was one of the first people to arrive on the scene and described the area as "chaotic," he said.

Five vehicles had collided, one was hanging partially off the bridge — and that was all before Korb found out a toddler and a man had ended up in the water below the bridge.

Route 90 is known for car crashes, but Sunday's incident was the first time in his 20 years in the fire service that Korb had seen a vehicle hanging off the side of the bridge, he said.

“I just want to say thank you,” Korb said. “Everyone here says you’re a humble hero. I'm glad that we now have a face with the name. I really appreciate you. You’re a hero among us.”

Members of the Ocean City fire and police departments, Maryland State Police and Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan were on hand to thank Bauer.

Meehan presented Bauer with a plaque on behalf of the town of Ocean City in appreciation of his heroic act.

The Ocean City Fire Department presented Bauer and his family with personalized department apparel, because as Fire Chief Richard Bowers said, Jonathan's actions made him a part of the first responder family.

Bowers called Bauer a "humble hero," adding he put his own life on the line to save the toddler.

Any number of things could have gone wrong, Bowers said, but thankfully they didn't, and because of Bauer's actions, a mother will be able to celebrate Mother's Day with her daughter this year.

“What he did was without question a heroic thing, and very courageous thing to jump into over the railing, down 25 to 30 feet into open water, which is only 4 or 5 foot deep,” Bowers said.

That's a hero! Period.

I wish this sort of behavior wasn't so uncommon in today's world. And the fact he didn't seek out the media's adoration only makes what he did that much more admirable.

Indeed, a true American hero. He’s a great example of “Do what’s right, not what’s easy”...

Amazing, obviously his daughter could not be more proud of her dad. Rightfully so. God Bless him.

Nicely done, sir.

Yes, God bless this selfless man.

That’s a great story.

Well done.

That is a man right there. Bet his daughter will never forget it.

God Bless him.

Nothing “random” about this guy. He’s a man among men.

Well done sir. Talk about paying it forward. Good on him and blessings to his family.