I had a doctors appointment in the big city of Show Low Arizona today and was returning home. St Johns Arizona is the closest town to me and as I was coming into town, a little girl darted across the highway. This is just a little two lane that slows to 40mph about a mile behind me from where the girl crossed. As I saw her I slowed and expected parents or older kids to come after her, but as I got across from her there was no one anywhere to be seen. I pulled off on the shoulder and headed across the the road. I could see she was crying and scared. It just so happened that an off duty reserve sheriff stopped because he thought I was the father crossing over to fetch her. At first she was very shy, so I took off my ball cap and sunglasses and asked her name which she said real fast and I couldn't make it out. I was kneeling down and cocked my head and put my hand to my ear and asked again, she leaned in and told me her name and grabbed my hand from my ear and held it. Then she told me her mom works at the Bulk Food Store about 1.5 blocks away and I knew right away where that was so we hopped in the Sheriff's Tahoe and headed over there. The store was closed up tight, so off to the PD. As soon as we told the PD who she was they knew how to contact her parents, as her family has been in this town for decades. Thanked me for bringing her in and that was that.

Edit to add: She knew her name well and she told me she was 4yrs old. Tiny kid by any standards.


I've never lived in or near a town this small. It really is different. Almost everyone knows everyone. I don't know how she got where she was. I know of her family and can't imagine they were careless. I'd guess she was with siblings, I think they have 8 or 9 kids, and she was playing and probably wandered off. I'll find out soon enough as I am good friends with someone who is good friends with her family and goes to services with them. They are a long standing Mormon family. It was nice to just go into the local PD and explain and they took her and called Mom & Dad. I can only imagine how this would have gone down in a large city.

In the moment she grabbed my hand, both of my kids childhoods, all of it, went through my mind. Not adrenalin, but I guess endorphins flooded me. I could feel her being scared, I could imagine her parents worry. It was so surreal.

The reserve sheriff was super cool too. I guess she took a liking to me so he basically just drove and did introductions at the PD. I think he was as wound up as me because he said he had kids and was thinking of them the whole time.

Anyhow, something I'd never imagine happening in my life is finding a lost child on the side of the road. I'll add this to the list of once is enough.

Good on ya. Glad there was a good outcome.

Good on you, boss. Obviously, the right course of action.

Thank you for that. Great to see some care and then act.

Your my hero! Good on you sir!!

That's simply outstanding. Thank you.

A+. So glad you were there.

Well done!

Good job,

The reason everyone in St John knows everyone else, they're all related, except the Pakistani family that owns the motel in town.

Well done!

Excellent

Good job. It could have been so much different.

Today a Gold star as placed by your name in the Good Book............................... drill sgt.

Thank you. A most excellent display of compassion and protection.

Silent

Thank you for protecting her. When we are long gone she will remember you.

Excellent! You are an example that there are still lots of good people in the world. Good man!

Finders keepers

Great job and thanks for being there.

quote:

Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
Good job,

The reason everyone in St John knows everyone else, they're all related, except the Pakistani family that owns the motel in town.

Give them some time and they'll work their way into the fold!

I had something like this happen to me several years ago. I was driving my son to high school, he was a freshman, we rounded a corner and in the middle of the road was a toddler with nothing on but a diaper. It was February, maybe 10 degrees out. I called 911, said I was putting the boy in my truck. They said don't do that. We too live in a small town. I told dispatch my name, said he was going in the truck, and said tell Al, the LEO on duty, to bust his ass and get over here. Al got there fast, took the baby to the hospital, and later went back to find out how this all happened. My son was late but had a good story to show for it.


Jim