A Sweet Story About A Stroller, A Stumble, And A Stranger

/ Ally Bean

I’ve no particular reason to write about this other than to confirm that things can go sideways quickly and that random acts of kindness still happen, sometimes right in front of your eyes.

I WAS WAITING FOR the mail to arrive. We live on the curve on this suburban street so I can see the USPS mail truck coming from a long way off.

I realized the mail would be here in a minute or two so I sat down in the living room and stared out the window. It was mid afternoon when there are few vehicles driving around. The day was clear and sunny, in the 50s F so a beautiful day for everything.

I saw a young mom and dad out running while pushing a stroller with a small baby in it as they jogged along the street in the direction that slopes gently downhill toward a gully.

I watched as the dad nodded to the mom then took off downhill at a faster speed while she pushed the stroller at a decent pace, stepping like a metronome to her own beat. All was good until the mom tripped, lost her balance, and tried to catch herself on our neighbor’s mailbox post.

As she fell to her knees, hanging onto the mailbox post, she lost control of the stroller and inadvertently gave the stroller with the baby in it a huge push that caused it to roll quickly down the middle of the street.

Unattended.

Rolling along like nobody’s business.

She screamed to her husband for help but he had earbuds in and didn’t hear her.

HOWEVER AN OLDER MAN, probably in his mid-70s who I see walking slowly up this street every afternoon, saw what happened and, I kid you not, sprinted up the middle of the street toward the stroller.

He was flailing his arms and yelling at the dad who eventually turned around to see a stranger running to stop his baby’s stroller as it gained momentum rolling down the hill and his wife on her knees a few houses back while shouting at him to get. the. baby.

At this point the dad, who clearly didn’t know how this could have happened so quickly, looked so gobsmacked that I couldn’t help but smile at the dude.

Well the older man pushed the stroller back up the slight hill to the mother and went back to walking. The dad came back to the mailbox post and hugged the mom who’d gotten to her feet.

And while the mother was a heap of nerves, shaking, crying, grabbing for the baby, it’ll come as no surprise to you to learn that the baby and the dad and the older man were fine.

However after a minute, having regained her composure while wiggling her ankle around in small circles, the young couple with the baby turned around and walked back up the slight hill in the direction they’d come from both holding onto the stroller.

NOTHING TERRIBLE HAPPENED YET it was one of those moments in time, that transpired in a snap, when I realized again that we all depend, in some way or another, on strangers to help us get by.

Plus, being a pragmatic soul, I also realized that I do hope this young couple invests in a stroller wrist strap. Seems like it might be a good idea, all things considered.

‘Ya know?

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

Have you ever see something happen so quickly in front of your eyes that all you can do is watch it unfold?

Have you seen anyone do a random act of kindness lately?

If you walk or run outside on sidewalks or streets, have you ever stumbled like this mother did? If so, what happened next?

~ • ~

245 thoughts on “A Sweet Story About A Stroller, A Stumble, And A Stranger”

  1. We saw a high speed crash on the interstate . . . with one car tossed into the air less than 100 yards in front of us. Scary. 

     As a child, I was the baby in that buggy careening down a hill while mom watched helplessly. I got stitches in my tongue and “0 points” for my dismount.

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  2. The perfect story to start the day, Ally. So glad it had a happy ending! I was sitting at a red light once, a couple cars back, when I heard a loud crash and a van came shooting through the intersection, coming to rest on the sidewalk, thankfully upright. It was on the street going across in front of our lanes and it didn’t hit anyone else, but had evidently been hit and propelled through the intersection. After a moment, several men drove their trucks around the corner, got out, and rushed to the van. The light changed and I drove off, a bit shaken but thankful nothing worse had happened.

    There are many accidents here, more than I’ve ever seen in my life. Recently, my husband came home from his bike ride to report he saw an accident at a major intersection with a destroyed motorcycle and someone administering CPR to a figure on the ground. I later read a woman ram a red light. The motorcycle rider died.

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    • Janet, your stories of crashes are sobering. I totally get why you were shaken but thankful not to be hit by a van in the middle of the intersection. That scenario is horrifying.

      I know that I occasionally read about motorcyclists being hit by a car and dying at the scene. Have yet to see that happen, would prefer to not see it happen.

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      • Thankfully the person who was hit didn’t hit another vehicle or it could have been much worse. Most of the accidents I’ve seen haven’t been on highways, but just on residential streets, albeit main ones. Makes a person be very careful when driving. But you can’t always account for the other driver

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        • Your last sentence is what my mother drilled into me when I was learning to drive. I see accidents on the highways, but rarely on residential streets, the opposite of your experience. Fascinating.

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          • The main streets here usually have a 45mph speed limit, meaning too many people go 55+, which definitely isn’t safe. The side streets, which are probably the real residential streets, aren’t like that, although people still speed.

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            • I can understand how there are many accidents where you are with those posted speed limits. I live in a world where most residential streets, main or side, are 25 mph or 35 mph– and then there’s the interstate where it’s supposedly a 65 mph limit, as if.

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    • So agree about such a great way to start the day! Here’s a story a friend told me about her mom: the mom took an early morning walk, around 5am. The streets were mostly deserted, and she tripped on a tree root that pushed the bricks that made up the sidewalk up 😳 before she was able to try to get herself up, two young men, from who knows where in the deserted street, rushed to her side, helped her sit on the curb, and helped her back to her place. Like Ally said, There’s goodness to be found in unexpected places!

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      • EW, your friend’s mom was lucky. I can understand how the bricks become uneven and how easy it’d be to trip. Once in a while it is nice to read about something positive happening that involves strangers, like your story here.

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  4. Wrist straps for surf boards are common enough, but I’d never thought about the practicality of having one for a stroller. I’m glad all was well at the end, although your story did bring a laugh when it raised another memory. One day, I watched a strong wind catch an empty cart that had been left in a grocery store parking lot, rather than being put in the proper cart-collecting area. As that baby rolled toward a parked and obviously new fancy car, the owner was strolling toward his car. When he saw that rolling cart, he sprinted, too — but he didn’t get there in time.

    I’ve gone into the water a time or two at work. The first time, I was walking down a finger pier in January, and didn’t notice the spring line pulled tight against the pier. I put my toe under it, and that was it; I flipped into the empty slip on the other side of the pier, and when I opened my eyes, still underwater, all I saw was a barnacle-covered piling. I got onto the swim platform of the boat, and eventually a rescuer came along, but it obviously was an experience that stayed in my mind!

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    • Linda, kind of funny about the fancy car being hit by the runaway shopping cart. I’m surprised that doesn’t happen more often, come to think of it. Still to see it play out in front of me would make me smile.

      Your story of tripping off the pier is scary, I never thought about that being a hazard. Slipping, yes, but tripping? You were smart not to panic and fortunate someone came along to help you up again.

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  5. All this, seen from your front room window on a ‘beautiful day for everything.’ A miracle unfolding before your very eyes…so often we don’t see miracles in the act of being miraculous. They are more ‘everyday’ than we realize…

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  6. My 2.5 year old daughter got spooked at a street fair and turned and ran. I left my other two kids to run after her as she ran towards busy highway. A woman saw her and nabbed my child before she could be endangered. Saved by a wonderful stranger!

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  8. Yikes. It’s crazy how life can change in an instant; it’s terrifying to think how that story could have played out differently. This will be an anecdote in their life, but could have – given different circumstances – have been a lynchpin in their story.

    When I was reading this I kept screaming in my head – WHERE IS THE WRISTSTRAP?! The jogging strollers we had for our two kiddos both came with built in straps (as in they weren’t even optional). My husband was militant about putting it on first thing before ever setting out on even a flat/level walk. A great little invention and after this story, makes me very glad our stroller came with one (because if not I doubt it would ever have crossed my mind that such a thing existed).

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    • Elisabeth, you said it perfectly: it’s an anecdote, not a lynchpin in their life together.

      I wondered about the lack of wrist strap, too. I know about them, so it seems likely that this young couple would too. I didn’t know wrist straps came standard on some strollers. Z-D’s comment about this was that maybe the couple thought they were such good athletes they’d never need to have a wrist strap. Can’t explain it.

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  10. During the first few months of Covid, a very large man tripped while getting out of his car at a grocery store. I went over to help him up, but I couldn’t do it alone. Everyone was wearing masks and keeping their distance and it was clear no one want to help me help this man. A young man, maybe 16-18 walked right over and the two of us were able to get the man to his feet. One of his shoes wasn’t completely on. We helped him sit on the back seat of his car, which is where he stored his cane. I suggested than maybe he should keep it in the front.

    Falls happen so randomly and so quickly. They are the leading cause of death for older people (the group I’m in). Kudos to the elderly walker for snagging the baby. In addition to the tether, My wife would yell at the father for wearing earbuds while walking.

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    • Dan, I’m glad you helped the man who fell, but I can understand why people were reluctant to help him get up. Those first few months of Covid were dodgy times, no one knew how the virus spread. Good idea to suggest keeping his cane with him inside the car.

      This was a random fall, I doublechecked the place where she fell when I went for a walk later. Nothing to hinder her, she just tripped… and without a wrist strap on it was quite a scene.

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  11. I’m so glad this story had a happy ending. The parents must have been terrified. I like the idea of a wrist strap… while the wearer might take a strolled down with them in a fall, it’s better than the strolled rolling out into traffic.

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    • Erin, I thought about that scenario too. Would having the wrist strap on pulled the stroller over OR would being attached to the stroller like that somehow have helped the mother stay more balanced? No answer, just a stray rhetorical thought.

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  12. The older man chasing after that stroller? That’s my husband. He’s rescued more people than I can count. Has two commendations from the military, one from the State Police and one from the FAA to prove it. He rushes in where others fear to tread. Or before I even realize what’s happening…
    ❤️

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  13. Now that it’s over, a big grin. It did sound/look in my mind just like a movie or sitcom scene.
    Stroller straps are a great idea – never knew about them (it’s very flat here – although these days in a crowd, maybe if you can’t keep hold of the handle?)…wrist straps on small kids in crowds, I’ve seen, but if the ground is rolling, a strap is a nice invention.
    Sometimes you wonder if these little scenes are reminders to all those around – that good is still out there and everyone can make a difference? RAK indeed
    Thanks for the morning smile

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    • philmouse, in a way it was like a scene from a movie or sitcom, there was drama. Wrist straps on strollers are usually a given around here. It’s hilly and curvy and most people seem to have them, but not this couple. In fact when the mother first stumbled I didn’t think much of it figuring she was tethered to the stroller… but then I realized she wasn’t and got very interested.

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  14. Did the elderly gentleman look like Cary Grant by any chance? I’ve never heard of a stroller strap but if it isn’t a thing it seems like it ought to be.

    Per your questions: No, I can’t think of an example of something that happened so quickly that all I could do was watch it unfold. I’m sure I’ve seen people stumble or car accidents but I can’t think of one right now. Oh! This is kind of silly and not quite on the mark, but once I was carrying a clutch purse when suddenly it slipped out between my elbow and ribs and I dropped my hand and caught the purse before it hit the ground. It amazed me, since I am not known for my grace.

    In fact, your last question about whether I have ever stumbled while out walking. Well, yes. I’m sure if someone had followed me around in college they could have made a fortune on funny videos.

    Middle question. I haven’t personally witnessed a random act of kindness. I’ve been the recipient of some unexpected kindness but that’s not a random act. I’d like to be one of those people doing some random acts of kindness but I guess I miss the opportunity most of the time. It’s like the perfect comeback line, later I might think “why didn’t you…”

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    • Zazzy, made me smile about Cary Grant, I immediately flashed to that movie scene in North by Northwest.

      Nice catch with your clutch. That’d be something that’d stand out in my mind, too. Like you, I’m not known for my physical prowess.

      I’ve experienced a few random acts of kindness and I hope I’ve done some too. I sometimes think that by not saying what I’m really thinking about what some doofus said, I am doing a random act of kindness.

      Liked by 1 person

      • North by Northwest? I haven’t seen that in a long time and don’t remember the scene. I was thinking about the Bishop’s Wife.

        Good point on not saying what you really think. I also think that’s a random act of kindness and I try my best to not gasp and look at the person as if I think they are the dumbest person on earth.

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        • I’ve never seen the Bishop’s Wife, so my mind went to the other movie. CG runs down a runway with a plane chasing him.

          See you, too, are doing random acts of kindness by staying quiet. Sometimes that’s more difficult to do than people might understand. We’re absolute angels for not saying something. 😇

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  15. I would like to have been in that older gentleman’s head when he saw that baby careening down the road. I can only imagine his adrenaline was on overdrive at that moment. I know the feeling of simply reacting. There is no thought, you just do what is needed. A former boss had a small stroke in front of me. It was surreal for sure, and also the first, and only time that I started an IV on a human arm. As a child I was in the car when my mom hit a motorcyclist. In both these scenarios- as they say- things really do happen in slow motion.

    I don’t even want to discuss the thought of stumbling on the sidewalk. I have done that here on our walkway and it did not end well. Brick walls and door jams are really solid objects.

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    • Deb, I’m sure the older man just did what he did without a second thought. It was so clear what had happened and that the baby in the stroller needed to be corralled. I was just amazed by how quickly he went from a slow trudge to Olympic sprinter.

      I cannot imagine what I’d do if someone had a stroke or heart attack in front of me. You’re better versed in these things, but still to start an IV, good job. Your mom hit a motorcyclist? Oh I can’t imagine the stress in that situation.

      I’m sorry you’ve stumbled while walking. I’ve tripped over an uneven crack on a slab of concrete sidewalk but nothing [so far] significant, fingers crossed.

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  16. Love the Ram Dass quote; it’s so simple and beautiful. Worth remembering at all times in our lives.

    What a scenario! I’ve written about a few Rescues I’ve been able to make, each time so happy I was there. Recently, I witnessed a woman back her truck squarely into a car in a parking lot, then merely drive away. I was able to take down her license plate and make/model of her vehicle. I went inside and reported the incident immediately. I found it shocking, especially since she saw me observe the whole thing, including taking down her plate.

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    • Nance, the woman didn’t stop after causing an accident in the parking lot! That is unforkingbelievable. I’m glad you did what you did, of course, but what kind of person drives away in that scenario? Answer: one I don’t want to know.

      And yes, on a cheerier note, the Ram Dass quote is one of my favorite quotes of all time.

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  17. I’m so glad that story had a happy ending! A tether of some sort for that stroller to parent sounds like a grand idea!

    Which reminded me of a period of time my sister closest in age to me was very curious about what would happen if she opened the car door while we were driving. She did experiment by just trying to open it several times! Both my parents and me, I was 5 at the time -I remember it all vividly all got on her about how nuts it was and how terribly hurt she could be should she fall out. She was 3.5 years old then.

    Well one day after my mom had picked me up from school we were driving home and there as a place that had a sharp turn. We must have going 25- 30 mph. She opened the door and woosh! Out she went. I screamed at my mom she opened the door and fell out! STOP! At the same time my Mom realized what happened and slammed on the brakes. Fortunately my sister tumbled/ landed in a driveway. There was we supposed the homeowner out working in his yard. He rushed over to help her. She was scrapped up, crying, and scared, but otherwise okay. Nothing broken or requiring stitches. Thankfully!

    Well, after my Mom called my dad at work to tell him about it. That night my dad got some very strong rope and tied all the car doors shut! All but the drivers side door that is. From that day on for months and months we 4 kids got in and out of the car via the drivers side window. No car seats back then for the little ones. Mom just passed them to me and I got them settled in. Mind you…after the ropes were removed my sister never tried opening the car door while driving after that! Tethers and ties are good tools at times. 😀

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  18. Oh my…what a scene to behold, Ally. I love being an onlooker when goodness rules. And you’re right – these near-calamities happen in hyperdrive. You must’ve been in a twist watching but unable to help. But then again…in the grander scheme (and don’t I love that) you ARE helping by reminding us of kindnesses and how we can rise to help each other. Your description of the gentleman sprinting toward the stroller made me smile. If you’d asked him to go out for a jog, he might’ve declined…but when the need is right in front of us? We rise – and sometimes run! 🥰

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  19. What a great story, Ally! I love how the old man sprinted and the dad looked gobsmacked. Your descriptions are so good!

    There is a steep hill between me and the neighborhood grocery store so I end up walking it frequently with my kids. Not so often in the stroller these days but in the days when my kids were in the stroller and I would come down it, I frequently would repeat to myself, “whatever happens, don’t let go.” I don’t know why I didn’t use the strap. Probably because it’s not long enough for me to wear it and walk around to the front and check on my kids.

    I’m glad everyone was okay in your story and you were there to witness and share this delightful interlude where everything turns out fine and it’s not just Disney.

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    • Wynne, the expression on the dad’s face was priceless. He just couldn’t believe what he was seeing and hearing.

      I know that those wrist straps are short, I suppose for a reason. I’m sure if I was pushing a stroller on a hill I’d be saying to myself what you said like a mantra: don’t let go.

      Yes this did have a Disney-esque ending. No harm to anyone, just a little rush of adrenaline, and then life went back to normal.

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  20. When my youngest son was a baby (probably about 13-14 moths old) and we lived in a small town, he was playing next to me while I planted tulip bulbs beside our house. All of a sudden, he got up and made a dash for the street. I was so startled, I didn’t react for a beat, then ran after him, yelling for him to STOP! Luckily, he couldn’t navigate steps yet, so he fell off the sidewalk, in front of my car parked along the curb just as a feed truck lumbered down our street. I still shudder every time I think about that incident. I must remind myself not to worry about something that didn’t happen.

    The older man in your story is a hero! Kudos to him.

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    • Laurie, oh that was a scary moment that turned out for the best, but I’d be like you fretting over something that could have happened. Gracious.

      The older man surprised me with his speed, considering he usually just plods along the street at a slow pace.

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  22. A great story, perfectly written so we could all see it. I walked my infant son in so many strollers, often with big dogs on either side. I even took the jog stroller roller blading on the Strand (path by the beach) once when kid was sick and irritable–it was fast enough that he didn’t get bored and yet slow enough that he could look at all the interesting things we passed. It was actually easier to rollerblade with the jog stroller, because the stroller had a brake! I never tripped with the stroller, but I have fallen so many times with the dogs–either due to my dogs doing something unexpected, or due to tripping over uneven pavement, or due to being attacked by other dogs. Somehow, I always kept hold of the leashes, and the dogs never ran off–probably because I was swearing in a truly terrifying fashion and they froze. But kind Russians taught me how to pop the clutch once when my battery was dead, and kind animal lovers collected my escape artist dog more than once.

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  24. WOW! You really saw a story unfold, right before your eyes. I love that the older gentleman was able to sprint, but I suppose he’s in good shape if he walks everyday. I’ve always been a little nervous when I see people jogging while pushing a kid in a stroller. I’d be more concerned about overturning the stroller than having it get away from me.

    I’ve slipped on ice or wet leaves so many times that I’m hesitant to walk unless the sidewalks are completely dry and clear.

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    • Bijoux, good point, I never thought about how a stroller could flip over. The ones people use around here are little tanks. Almost armored vehicles. Or that’s how I think of them, still they could tip or flip.

      I’m with you about not wanting to slip on ice or walk on slippery leaves, I only walk outside when it’s safe by my middle age standards.

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  25. What a lovely story! So glad disaster was averted. These things happen so quickly. Last Wednesday I was driving through to George, a town about 99 kms away. There’s a town closer by, 30 km away, Knysna, known as a hot spot on the roads. A person charged out on foot from the highway, with a golf club held high. I thought he was going to smash it onto my windscreen. I threw up my arm to prevent my face being smashed. I don’t know what happened- but it didn’t happen. Guardian Angel? They’re all about thank the Pope. Miracles abound. Much to give thanks to, for and all 😊

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    • Susan, what a thing to happen to you while you were driving, minding your own business. What was the golf club person doing? Trying to accomplish? That is weird.

      I’m happy to know your guardian angel was on duty, there to protect you from harm. I agree, miracles abound, just have to remember to see them.

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  26. That’s a great story, but terrifying too. How quickly things can happen! My mom was out at my old house once, walking my older daughter in a stroller. I was watching them come back when suddenly I saw a car start to swerve, heading straight for them. The car came off the road and missed them by only a couple feet. It still gives me nightmares. The young parents were fortunate that the older guy was there. I’m not a big fan of earbuds by the way.

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    • Margaret, you’re right the situation was a bit terrifying in the sense of what could have gone wrong. I can understand why you still have nightmares about what happened with your Mom and daughter. I don’t like earbuds in general, so cannot imagine using them when running. Still people do it all the time.

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  27. Oh man. Glad this ended OK. I once saw a woman on a motorcycle try to take a left hand turn into traffic, pulling out from the grocery store right in front of me. She was hit by another car, who was braking – but still. She was HIT. It was super scary. She was disoriented and her nose was bleeding, but I’m confident she was going to be fine. Still my knees shook the rest of the day. It sure happened so fast, but felt like it was in slow motion also.

    I was pushing 2 year old Lad in a buggy once and we hit a bag bump. The buggy flipped over, slipping out of my grip. I knew a neighbor nearby, so we rang her doorbell and she helped me get Lad’s knee or hand cleaned up -because I think he got a little scrape. I held onto the buggy for dear left after that.

    When I dropped Tank at college in August, I went for a run that morning before I drove home. I hit a crack in the sidewalk with my toe and I went flying (at least it felt that way), but after leaning forward and taking several steps on the tips of my toes, I eventually recovered my balance and I never went ‘down.’ Thank goodness.

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    • Ernie, motorcycle accidents happen quickly from what I can tell. I’d be rattled the rest of the day too, after seeing what you saw.

      The stroller flipped over with Lad in it! Oh my I’m sure that happens more often than I realize, but it does amaze me. Situations like that can be unnerving, poor kid, poor you.

      I’m glad you regained your balance while out on your run, but stuff like that happens seemingly in an instant. And often it has nothing to do with inclement weather, it just happens.

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      • Well this was an old fashioned sort of buggy – big wheels and not the typical kind of current buckle. I didn’t have a good hold on the handle, from what I recall and it rolled forward on a bag bump. My poor little guy was so sad, but thankfully he wasn’t hurt badly. I was expecting Ed at the time and I remember feeling so guilty, like how was I gonna parent 2 kids if I couldn’t take care of one.

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        • I remember that old buggy style and I can understand how one bump could upend it. I’m sure it did unnerve you a bit considering #2 was on the way. Maybe a learning experience that made you the great mom you are today. 😊

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  28. I think the stroller-jogger is a cool invention and I kinda sensed the stroller was on its way to autopilot, but for the life of me I can’t understand why people wear earbuds when they jog. Today’s headphone technology includes a sound setting where you can hear your music AND surrounding sounds, so you’d think parents would go that route. But even if you remove the baby and the stroller from this story, the couple is still potentially putting themselves in harm’s way. There was a tragic pedestrian death in Colorado not so long ago; a woman struck by the light rail simply because she was wearing earbuds and had zero sense of her surroundings.

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    • Dave, yep the stroller went its own way in this story. All ended well, but it did have me worried for a second there.

      I don’t get earbuds, either. I want to be aware of my surroundings and those things are almost too good for me to want to wear them. But the dad had his in his ears and proved your point about the potential for being in harm’s way. What a sad story about the woman in CO. Honestly I don’t know how to even process that.

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  29. HOLY MOLY! Thank goodness that older gentleman was in the vicinity. Also, I loathe the earbuds, especially out in public; you are SO out of it. Who knows what/who could be sneaking up on you or in this case YELLING for you. Dad was checked out.

    A few years ago I saw a crash on the highway (I blogged about it) and witnessed a human being ejected from the truck, fly through the air and land, safely. I still can’t get that image out of my brain.

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    • Suz, the older man was the hero in this story, but of course just went on his way, no big deal. I’m not a fan of earbuds either. I like to be in the moment I am in, not with my mind drifting off elsewhere.

      I am amazed anyone could be ejected from a truck and land safely. What a horrible sight to see in person. I’ve no doubt if I saw that I’d have nightmares for weeks after.

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  30. Sadly not all stories have happy nights you for bringing us one that did. Sort of. Hopefully the older gentleman made it all the way home and didn’t use his last moments chasing someone’s baby! I can’t say I’ve never seen something like this happen in front of my eyes.

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  31. Oooh so thankful for that older man. I am sure that he didn’t think he would run while out for his morning walk!
    You are right things happen so quickly!
    Thanks for sharing the story and the reminder that kindness does exist in this world in many ways ❤️

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  32. This kind of thing can happen when you’re doing something foolish (like running downhill with the baby in the stroller) but what got me was the same old thing – the earbuds. Why go outside (presumable to enjoy nature or the fresh air) and then cover up your hearing so you are not aware of your surroundings? Would you put blinders on and go for a run? But I get it – the story is about the guy who made up for their carelessness by jumping in to save the day (and the kid). I’m not saying “Don’t run with the stroller.” I see a lot of people doing that and it’s good exercise, but it is putting the kid a little bit at risk. Kind of like not wearing a seatbelt – nothing will happen 99.99% of the time, but….

    Anyway, the old guy gets a medal, the father with the earbuds gets a shaking, and the mother who tripped gets a bandaid and hopefully a wakeup call.

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    • Anne Li, I take all your points and they are valid ones. I know that the hill on this street isn’t steep but it is an incline/decline so what happened with the stroller was bound to happen if someone let go of it with a push. I’m not a fan of earbuds and prefer to be aware of my surroundings when I’m out for a walk, but I also know many people only go outside to walk/run if they can multitask listening to something besides nature.

      The older man was the hero of this story and then just went on his way while the young parents calmed down and slowly walked away, perhaps a bit more savvy.

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  33. Yikes! Ally, your post has such a great sense of drama and urgency it was as if was there, seeing the scene unfolding in front of me. Terrific recap and phew, what a guy and I guess he didn’t know he could still sprint! I’m glad all was okay for everyone and I think the young couple will hold on VERY TIGHT to the pram from now on.

    Last week my husband and I were talking in the kitchen when I heard something – an odd shout and not the usual from playing children. I opened the door and heard, ‘Annika, Annika, help!’ My next door neighbour had slipped and dislocated her hip and luckily I heard her. We rushed round, covered her up as we waited for the ambulance, an umbrella trying to protect her from the driving rain. Oh, it took four hours for the ambulance … I felt for her so much. We truly never know from one second to the next what life will throw at us. hugs xx

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    • Annika, I’m smiling at your line: “I guess he didn’t know he could still sprint!” I’m betting the same thing. The older man trudges as he walks by, not exactly demonstrating a joy of walking.

      I’m glad you heard your neighbor’s cry for help. What a lousy thing to happen to her. In the rain too! Pity that the ambulance took so long to get there, but I’m glad you were able to help the neighbor during the wait. You’re right, life does throw some unexpected curveballs.

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  34. What a moment of drama. I’m with you (and the other commenters) who dissed the Dad for wearing ear buds which cut him off from the outside world. I used to wear them but my grown-up daughter gave me a severe lecture about safety, and I couldn’t argue with the good sense she was making. Never wear them out & about now, only in bed at night so I can listen without waking Himself, or when working with clients so no-one else can hear what they’re saying.

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  35. I was playing in the backyard one day, the skies darkened and the wind picked up and I was totally oblivious to what was going on. At 10 years old, weather was the last thing on my mind. I heard a strange noise, looked in that direction and watched as a tornado touched down in the next door neighbors yard and picked up his shed and dropped into another neighbors yard. I was about 20 yards away from this and rooted in fear. My Grandmother just happened to be watching me from the kitchen window and she too was rooted in fear.

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    • Johnny, how amazing to be so close to a tornado and too young to totally get how dangerous it was. I cannot imagine seeing what you saw, but know it’d make a huge impression on me. And your grandmother, too, no doubt.

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  36. Reminds me of the famous scene in “The Untouchables,” where Kevin Costner is shooting at mobsters while a baby carriage careens down a staircase in slow motion. Luckily, no guns were involved in your incident.

    I walk outside almost every day. It would be a miracle if I never stumbled, tripped, or fell!

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    • Mark, that’s very much like what this was, only less sinister, more suburban. Good point about walking outside daily, you’re bound to lose your balance in some way at some point. It’s the getting back up and going that is the trick.

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  37. I read your story with bated breath! I am completely out-of-touch with modern strollers and didn’t know they now come with wrist straps, which makes complete safety sense.

    Many years ago I was experiencing a serious personal problem and began weeping while I was in a large store. As I sat on a bench to try to regain some semblance of control, a young woman stopped to ask me if I was okay or needed some help. I’ve never forgotten her kindness.

    And falling? Yup, several months ago I rolled my ankle and took a header into a sidewalk. I had a sprain but nothing really damaged except my pride. 😊

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    • Lynette, you can buy a wrist strap if for some reason your stroller doesn’t have one, so I hope the young couple have done this.

      It was so kind of that young woman to stop and check on you. There are some lovely people out there, but it can be easy to forget that.

      I’m sorry about your sprained ankle and your dented pride. We all do stuff like that, but sure seems like not doing it would be better.

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  39. Wow, that sounds pretty scary. I have never heard of a stroller strap. Interesting. I also wonder if it would have pulled the stroller over, possibly hurting the baby, although maybe the mom would have been able to catch it before it went over. Glad it all turned out okay. I have fallen before, thankfully not with a baby. Hit my head on the pavement and my sunglasses dug into my face and I got a black eye out of it. Embarrassing.

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    • Janet, I wonder too if the wrist strap would have tipped the stroller over, but at least the baby would have been nearby not halfway down the street. So maybe better?

      I did a face plant in front of Goodwill one day. I was dropping things off, missed the curb, and *boom* was on the sidewalk. My face was okay, but my knees took the brunt of it.

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  40. I tell this story all the time because it still haunts my dreams. I was tutoring a student at a public library. We were at the tables at the cafe near the entrance because that was the only place in the library we could talk without getting shushed. (FOR SHAME.) This design of this library was a mess, to be honest, for parents of small children. A woman was holding on to a tiny baby in a car seat and was checking out a dozen picture books at one of those self-scanner stations. Her toddler was wandering around in circles, singing to himself.

    Next thing I know, the toddler has taken off. The library had AUTOMATIC DOORS that led straight to the parking lot. No foyer, no intermediary step, just straight out into cars. The toddler was so fast and he was out the door before the mom even realized he was gone. I saw him move past our table out of the corner of my eye and without even thinking, I stood up and ran out the doors to scoop that toddler up just as a car came speeding through the parking lot. If I’d been even three seconds later…I can’t finish that sentence.

    The mom was hysterical and I had so much adrenaline I was not doing a particularly good job of calming her down. But eventually we separated and I went back to tutoring my student who would remind me of how I saved a baby’s life every time we met from that point forward.

    It takes every member of the village to make sure children make it to adulthood, doesn’t it? And that library should have a better entrance system!

    Liked by 2 people

    • NGS, first of all good on you. What fast reflexes you have in such an unexpected situation. Second, what a stupid floor plan for a library. I mean really, just step out into the parking lot directly? Not well thought out.

      Third, I don’t know how you could have calmed down after that but obviously eventually you did. I can only imagine how grateful the mother was. Thanks for sharing your story here.

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  41. That’s quite that dramatic story. I’m so glad everything turned out okay. I watched the nurse trip on the curb as we were leaving the hospital with our first born. I was in a wheel chair, my husband was opening the car door for me. The nurse lost hold of our baby boy and he went flying into the air. Fortunately my husband played football in high school and caught our son.

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  43. And there you were watching it all happen! I think things like that happen all the time — little tragedies in the making that thankfully never become tragedies. I’ve thankfully never stumbled out in public in a way that was dramatic dangerous. Now inside the home? Too many to mention! – Marty

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    • Marty, I agree. Small almost tragedies are around us and I just happened to see this one unfold. I don’t stumble inside the house as much as walking into things, like the dishwasher door when it is lowered. 🙄

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  44. Oh, wow. That could have turned out so much worse. That poor mom is probably going to have nightmares for years. (I would have also stomped on my hubby’s ear buds later.)

    When I was in my early teens, I took sewing lessons at a Singer store. One day, after class, I was waiting at the front of the store for my mom to pick me up. Suddenly, the door to the jewelry store across the street was flung open, and a man ran out; he then pulled out a gun and started firing at the people on the sidewalk and those coming out of the store. I had witnessed the end of an armed robbery and was frozen in place.

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  45. What a thing to witness! I imagine (I hope) that couple will make a few adjustments before they go out running with their baby again.

    The couple of times I’ve tripped outside, I looked around quickly hoping no one saw my clumsiness. As I get older, I know that I’ll hope someone sees me so they can help me get back up.

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    • Janis, I hope the couple decides to invest in a wrist strap, no harm this time, but if there’s another time…

      Excellent point about wanting someone around if you fall once one gets to a certain age. Hadn’t thought of that, still hung up about feeling stupid for falling but times are a’changing for me.

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  46. Amazing story with a happy ending! I don’t believe I’ve ever seen something that dramatic happen right in front of me. I’ve been standing next to someone when they fell, but that’s as close as I think I’ve gotten. If you find me on the ground, it will be from gardening. 🙂 I’ve noticed with each year that more people hold the door for me. I do believe that is because of my age and gray hair. 🙂 One thing is that more young men seem to do it than women. I don’t read anything into except maybe they think of their Mom or Grandmother. There are some nice people out there, and it’s always good to meet or hear about one.

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    • Judy, it was odd, I was sitting in the living room being mellow, then this happened and I was totally drawn into the situation. Made me laugh about why you’d be on the ground.

      My mother’s hair went white and she said it was one of the best things that happened to her. Like you mentioned, suddenly all sorts of people were helping her and she was more than happy to let them do so.

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  48. You have some amazing stories here, including the one about the person rescuing toddler from the jaws of death outside a library door.

    I can’t add to the drama here, but your post did prompt my memory of Blanche DuBois in Streetcar Named Desire: “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.”

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  49. My sister and I were walking a trail once, and she was pushing one of her grandchildren in a stroller. We got to the top of the hill, and decided to take a selfie together. The brake didn’t set properly, and the stroller began to roll down the hill. I was able to grab the handle before it got out of reach. I like to think one our fellow trail walkers would have jumped in if necessary, but we’ll never know. It did make for an interesting action shot in the photo…one I suspect the child’s mother never got to see!

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    • Christie, oh this is a wonderful story. I can see how that’d happen so quickly and how it might be better to never mention it, or show the photo, to the mother. Still kind of funny.

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  51. The only random act of kindness, was I needed a small grocery cart and asked an older woman if I could have hers after she had finished loading groceries into her car, then as I was doing the same another older woman asked me for the cart 😁. It was a lovely chain reaction of kind gestures.

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  52. Wow, what a story! I love stories like this, I was worried, I was nervous, I was entertained, I was ultimately satisfied. I am impressed by that older man – may we all him in some theoretical way! This just makes me so happy, and I am going to be basking in this for some time. Thanks Ally!

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    • Nicole, the older man saved the day by saving the baby in the stroller. I see him around almost daily, but the young couple I don’t know. If they’re around I’m not seeing them. Maybe they’re avoiding this street now.

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      • When our daughter was about 3, Malcolm was pulling her in a Burley behind his bike, and I was riding in the back of them. He rounded a corner too fast, and the bike wheels slipped off the sidewalk, sending the Burley upside down. He didn’t realize it happened until he heard my screams. She was fine, except for a mouthful of dirt and grass in her hair. Scariest moment of my life. I am happy that a neighbor was nearby and able to step in and save the day. I feel for that poor mother, even if it was an accident.

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        • Suzanne, what a thing to see happen in front of you. Yikes. I’m glad your daughter was okay and am glad to know you lived through it, scary as it was. Like you I hope the young couple is able to make some changes so that nothing like this happens again. Mom was shaken up.

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  53. I’m so happy that your story had a happy ending! I don’t have any dramatic stories like that, thank goodness! Hooray for the old guy coming to the rescue! A recent act of kindness happened to me: I came out of an airport restroom and a sweet young girl came up to me and whispered that I had toilet paper trailing from my shoe! OMG, like 3 feet of toilet paper! I was so horrified and tried to get it off, but of course, it got all unruly and wouldn’t leave me, like some badly written comedy. The young girl stepped on the toilet paper so I could get it unstuck! I am so grateful to her! I’m not sure that I would’ve done that at her age (Maybe 12?) so it lifted my spirits to know that there are good kids being raised right!

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    • Michelle, I’m happy this story had a happy ending, too. It could have gone much worse, but didn’t.

      What a lovely story and what a great kid to help you like that. I, too, don’t know that I’d have had the gumption to talk to a stranger like this girl did. I agree she is a good kid, they’re out there, just often overlooked.

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  54. As for your last question, I live in a rural area without sidewalks or pavement. Yesterday I had to go out into the steeply sloping yard to pick up a deer foreleg one of the dogs found (to put in the trash) and between snow and mud took a fall. Tweaked the knee a bit, but no damage done.

    This next (pertaining to question two) harks back to your post about helping someone find something in the grocery story (marjoram, wasn’t it?). Well, I noticed a woman trying to find heavy cream without success. I finally found some for her on a bottom shelf halfway back in the cooler. I would have gladly gotten it for her, but she proceeded to get down on her hands (like a push-up) to get a couple cartons, saying she had an artificial knee. Well, so do I, but a pushup on a filthy grocery store floor was not required. She did thank me. Then I saw her again at the self check-out stands and she was berating the nice clerk because her huge bags from home wouldn’t fit on the bag carousel. So much for trying to do a kindness and hoping it would pay forward!!

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    • Eilene, I’m glad you’re okay but *eww* yours was an adventure I’d not have liked. We have a standing agreement here that HE deals with all dead animals, whole or in parts.

      This woman you helped in the grocery store sounds like a piece of work. Yuck to getting down onto the grocery store floor, boo to being mean to the store employee. I take your point about trying to be kind. It is getting to be a lost social convention, everywhere.

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  55. I love that quote. It’s so spot on. I don’t know that it felt in slow motion as I was only 6 at the time. Early 60s, no seat belts, and many children in the station wagon. Whoever closed the door didn’t get it shut. First corner Mom takes the door pops open and I fall out onto the road/grass. Got a bit of roadrash, but fortunately, nothing worse. As to real accidents, I’ve been the one doing CPR on a motorcycle guy, sadly to no avail. The strange thing there was we came around the corner and he was lying there. No sign of an accident. Pre cell phones. I got out to do CPR and my boyfriend (now known in the blog as The Engineer) went to call 911.

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    • Bernie, oh my goodness. You got tossed out of the car, by accident of course, and only got a little hurt! That is a charmed life right there. Of course being a kid you might have bounced better than you would, any of us would, as an adult.

      Your story of doing CPR on the motorcycle guy is heroic and reminds me again that even though I don’t like cell phones, I like cell phones. Such a different world we lived in.

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  56. I didn’t actually witness it, but I was the first car that came upon a fatal wreck with a beer truck and a van. The semi was on it’s side and kegs of beer were all over the road. Unbeknownst to me at first glance, but there was a family under the truck. I was 17 and taking my turn on family trip. 48 years later, it still makes me sick to my stomach.

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  57. An exciting and sweet story. It not only shows that generally people like to help out but also that accidents can happen at the blink of an eye.

    I worry that if I witnessed something like the racing stroller, I might not act fast enough. Happily, all three of my daughters are generous and have fast reactions, especially my youngest who has saved people in danger more than once. Maybe I can take comfort in having contributed something to the world through them.

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    • Nicki, the “accidents can happen” aspect of this story is what is the most unnerving to me. Nothing bad did happen but…

      Your take on how you’ve contributed to this world through your daughters is priceless. I’m smiling here. I know my reaction time is slow, too, but maybe in a moment of panic I’d be jolted into action. I hope.

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  58. One time we watched from our RV window a man lose control of the camper he was setting up. He dropped the tongue on the ground (which could take off a foot). The husband went over and helped him. So I guess that answers 1 and 2, although I admit this was years ago and not lately. And yes, I biffed it while running on vacation in San Antonio a few years ago. Only the husband was around. I think we both had a good laugh, but I had to run slower the rest of the way back to the hotel.

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    • The Travel Architect, the man with the camper problem is the kind of situation like I was seeing with the mother and stroller. You know there’s something wrong happening but you also know you’re just watching it too. I’m glad your husband went to help the camper guy.

      Sorry you had an *incident* while on vacation. Glad it didn’t stop you entirely. Dumb stuff happens.

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    • DM, I don’t know that I would have shared this story if the ending wasn’t happy. ‘Ya know? I’m not a fan of earbuds and like you I hope that the dad will rethink his use of them when out running.

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  60. Yay to a happy ending! Random acts of kindness…we try to “commit” them as often as possible. It would be a much better world if people lived in the moment long enough to see others. Just thing morning I was walking at a brisk pace across the front of a store when someone came out of the store just as fast…with their face pointed directly at their phone. We almost bumped into each other. Many in the world are too distracted to even see the types of situations you noticed here. And that is sad…but the rest of us just have to pick up the slack for them.🙂

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    • Bruce, hear, hear! You got to the essence of this: It would be a much better world if people lived in the moment long enough to see others. I agree. It’s frustrating to be somewhere, paying attention to what’s going on, only to find yourself alone in your awareness. It is sad, as are the ways in which many people rationalize not paying attention to others. Case in point, your someone with his face in his phone so you do not exist.

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  62. Oh, what a great story! Kudos to the older man for quick thinking. I do wear earbuds when I go on my walks, but then I do walk, not run, and I’m always looking out for traffic. I’m actually more likely to “miss” some of my audiobook because I’m busy looking around 😉

    As for your questions:
    1. Many years ago I was sitting in our pickup truck, waiting for a couple of skateboarders to pass me so I could back into my driveway. The hill down to our house is quite steep, I guess a skateboarder’s dream although this was the first (and last) time I ever saw someone skateboard down our hill. As I sat there, first the guy passed me by, then his girfriend, but when she was just past my truck, she hit a bump and flipped, head over knees, onto the road. I saw her forehead hit the road before she rolled. I still remember my stomach lurching at the sight. It was just a matter of seconds, but whenever I recall the episode, it seems to happen in slow motion. I guess you could say that my husband and I were the “heroes” of the day. I ran out of my truck and yelled to my husband. We both helped the young woman into our house. Since I saw her hit her head, I called 911. We then walked her to our garage so the paramedics could get to her quickly. She fainted. I called 911 again. Her boyfriend (finally) showed up and was utterly useless, going on and on about how sorry he was (it was his idea to ride down the hill). My husband loaned him a shirt which he never saw again, but the young woman left a lovely peace lily at our front door a few weeks later. Fond memory 🙂

    2. No sightings of random acts of kindness lately, but I’m sure they are happening.

    3. I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count all the times I’ve tripped and fallen on a sidewalk or road or in a parking lot or on a treadmill. Many times I’ve picked myself up before anyone sees me. Well, I always pick myself up. I don’t like people to help me because I’m afraid they’ll make it worse, but many a time my husband has had to stand by while I (slowly) get to standing.

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    • Marie, I know that this older man did what needed to be done and I imagine he didn’t even think about it, just did it. Good old dude.

      Oh you really were the Good Samaritans in your experience. I have no trouble believing the boyfriend was less attentive than he should have been and that girl was grateful. I’m glad you and your husband were there to help the girl. The peace lily was a wonderful way to say thank you.

      Oh no, you’ve tripped and fallen that many times. Obviously if you just stopped exercising and walking you could solve that problem. Just joking, I’m sorry to read this but it sounds like you know how to handle the situations so that you don’t get hurt.

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      • Due to that accident I had many years ago, I can’t fully flex my right foot and that’s why I trip a lot. I’ve learned to be mindful when I walk, and I know how to fall so I minimize injury. Practicing yoga has helped a lot with my balance. I take it all in stride (pun intended).

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  63. Oh my goodness. I’ve seen scenes like this in movies. The real-life version sounds terrifying! Wow! So glad that man was able to catch that stroller.

    I stumbled while walking on the sidewalk a few times. It was embarrassing. Thankfully no babies were harmed during that experience. I also was not hurt. Just my ego. There is no way to play that off!

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    • L. Marie, I was mesmerized watching this unfold in front of me. The older man was the hero of this little moment in time.

      I’ve stumbled too. It makes you look like you’re drunk when instead you’re just a klutz [in my case of course, maybe not yours].

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  66. “…a beautiful day for everything” speaks volumes about you, Ally. 💕 Good grief, on the rest of the story…a movie in the making, yet you and I know how truth is often stranger than fiction. Re your questions, Ally:  I have a whole thing going on in my mind about split second decisions and how they impact life…I will explain more in future…when you and I have a coffee date in the future. And, yes, eyes leak when I witness kindness. A great post, Ally!💕 Erica

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    • Erica/Erika, it was odd to be looking mindlessly outside, just waiting for the mail, and then suddenly there was drama going on in front of me. Would never have thought I’d be seeing what I did when I looked out the window. It was touching to see the older man stop the stroller. And reassuring that the baby was safe.  

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  67. I love that Ram Dass quote. So very true.

    I am so glad that everything turned out fine. Thank you for sharing this story. ❤️

    I can’t think of anything right now because I have some serious brain fog right now, but I really enjoyed reading everyone’s stories in the comment section. So many good humans in the world.

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    • Kari, that Ram Dass quote is how I’ve come to approach my life and seemed pertinent to this story. I, too, am glad all ended well and that I had the opportunity to see such kindness. 

      I knew that the commenters here would have stories to tell on this subject. Fun to read them although a few stories are harrowing. Good luck managing your brain fog!

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  68. Whew is all I can say and you were there to witness this stranger injecting himself into a scenario that could have been a tragedy.

    I do have a similar story Ally and it happened the day Princess Diana died (08/31/97). I went out to water the lawn Labor Day morning, the 1st, while it was still fairly early. I had just heard the news about the car accident and Diana’s death before I went out and I was thinking about it while setting up the sprinkler in the front yard near the curb when out of the corner of my eye, I saw the toddler three doors away on her Big Wheel rolling down my next-door neighbor’s driveway apron into the street just as I saw a huge truck cab speeding down the street maybe four houses away. A jolt of adrenaline made me spring into action and I raced over, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her out of the Big Wheel which continued to roll, on its own, right into the path of the truck. The driver WAS paying attention, stopped on a dime and did not run over the Big Wheel but glanced at me still hanging onto her arm. My heart was pounding – the kid had no idea what the heck happened and broke loose from my grip and ran to get her Big Wheel (right into the street, without a thought in the world).

    I made her go home alongside me and knocked on the door at the parents’ house and told them what happened, both times. They were grateful to me for what I did, but the story did not register high on the “OMG scale” as it should have. Had I done that, my parents would have spanked me and I’d have been grounded for a very long time – my parents were strict.

    On a more personal note, since my mom was hit by a car at age 11, which caused her a four-year hospital stay and 42 orthopedic operations, I was cautioned as soon as I had “crossing-the-street privileges” to look both ways before crossing the street, or risk ending up like my mom did when she, in a careless childish moment, dashed between two parked cars and was hit by one of those vehicles.

    This little girl, who was named Kristin, had always been a pain. There were no kids her age and she went up and down the City sidewalk, turning around in all the neighbor’s driveways. I’d be out there cutting or edging the lawn with electric yard equipment and she’d come up behind me or roll over the cords. I told her if she did it again, I’d talk to her parents, so she went home and whined to them I yelled at her. The parents came right over, confronted me for yelling at their child, clearly having forgotten what I did for their only child the Summer before.

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    • Linda, that’s quite a story. The parents weren’t the most attentive to their child, were they? I know you did the right thing, rescuing the child, keeping her safe, but the parents’ lack of appreciation for a good deed is disheartening.

      Truthfully, lately, in many contexts I see people not expressing gratitude for what someone voluntarily does for them. In my observations many people seem to feel what I would describe as entitled to being helped, to being paid attention to. Thus they don’t reply with a thank you to the person who helped them or paid attention to them, because they don’t perceive it to be a, for lack of a better word, gift.

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  69. That’s such a heart-warming story. That’s awesome you saw it unfold and that all is well. I agree, a wrist strap on the stroller would be a good idea!

    Have you ever see something happen so quickly in front of your eyes that all you can do is watch it unfold? Yes, I was watching a walk/run race and saw the last runner come in and she collapsed and vomited as she crossed the finish line. Saw her later smiling and happy that she had completed what she set out to do. Resilience? 🤔

    Have you seen anyone do a random act of kindness lately? I had to stop at a local memory care place to drop off a box. An exit-seeking resident greeted me at the door. Knowing I shouldn’t let her out, I asked her if she was strong and could help me get the box I was carrying to the front desk. She helped me and beamed with joy when I praised her and thanked her and told her I couldn’t have done it without her help. 

    If you walk or run outside on sidewalks or streets, have you ever stumbled like this mother did? If so, what happened next? My hubby and I were walking briskly this past fall in the early morning. The day before I noticed a chunk of wire fencing that was laying on the side of the road. I thought about tossing it into the ditch but didn’t. The next day, as I was walking briskly again. I was looking at my hubby as we were talking and before I knew it, I stepped on the fence chunk. It stuck in my shoe and tripped me up. One moment I was upright, and then the next I stuck my arms out to stop my fall. I almost face planted. My hubby was there to help me up, thank goodness I didn’t face plant and break my nose and my glasses. All the cars on the road just drove on by not even knowing it had happened. I now pay more attention to the debris on the road in front of me.

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    • Shelley, I’d say the woman in the race was resilient. I cannot imagine hanging around after what happened to her, but also somewhat impressed.

      Your approach to keeping the memory care resident contained and useful was inspired. Good job, you. Even if the memory care resident didn’t remember what he did, you know the good vibes lasted.

      What a dreadful story about walking along and tripping. I’m glad you were okay, of course, but also a bit disheartened that no one in a car at least noticed what had happened. Still your husband was there and you’re more aware of potential hazards.

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  70. This is so weird. Yesterday, when I clicked on this story from my inbox, it brought me to a post with a series of highlighted posts. I read one story and came back and decided I would come back to this post. Now I click and I find the proper story!

    Sorry. What a scene! to witness! So very glad everyone was okay.

    Hmmm… Not a scene I am glad I witnessed while in Miami. Saw a guy running, two cops chasing him, capturing him and lying him down flat while handcuffing him. As a Canadian, I have to say, I cannot say I was not shaken by the whole thing. I’ve never witnessed something like that (and it all happened in less than a minute).

    I cannot remember the last time I witnessed a random act of kindness. How sad is that?

    I have not, thankfully, fallen during my runs on the bicycle path but I have taken a major wipeout walking. That hidden ice beneath the snow. A guy was just entering his house and saw me and clapped. Asshole.

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    • Dale, the ways of WP constantly amaze me. I have NO IDEA why this post didn’t show up as is in your inbox yesterday but is here in full today. Once upon a time I’d have worried about that but now I shrug. Yes, I am a jaded blogger.

      I’ve never seen cops chase down a criminal on foot. I’d have been unnerved to see that too. Of course, Miami is its own little universe so maybe that’s how it is there. Still, not great.

      I only realized it’d been a long time since I saw a random act of kindness when I saw this situation unfold. Also feel that is a sad admission.

      Yep, that guy was an asshole. Sorry you slipped, I’d have come to your side if I saw it happen.

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      • Amaze as in Baffle? So, so weird. Unless I inadvertently clicked on something, I cannot understand why this happened. Anyhoo… it’s a good thing I put it aside to return to!

        It is one thing to see it on TV, quite another to have this scene unfold before you at 150 feet.

        I am still trying to think of one.

        Seriously… Mind you, what is that meme to know if you are old or not? If they rush to your aid, you are old; if they laugh, you are not? (I’m choosing that one, thank you very much.)

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  71. Thank goodness for that older man who saw what was going on and came to the rescue! Things can happen in an instant, and all we can do is react. As for the young father, this story illustrates exactly why I don’t think jogging/walking/pushing a stroll while wearing earbuds is a good idea. You aren’t aware of your surroundings, and that can be very dangerous.

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    • Ann, the older man, who I’ve never seen move fast, leaped into action. He got the stroller with the baby back to the mom then trudged on his way. No big deal. I’m not a fan of earbuds outside the house for the reason you mention. I don’t know if the dad will change his ways, but seems like it wouldn’t be a bad idea.

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  72. This was quite a story. Good to hear that everyone was okay in the end. These things happen so quick and you have to be really sharp to react like the elderly man. Sometimes I think it’s nice to have nice, quiet and boring days on end rather than some random incident that makes everyone jump.

    I have definitely stumbled more than once on the streets. It’s usually me and my clumsiness. I have not yet fallen over and caused a scene. But even if I do, I will usually get up right away and carry on walking 😊

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    • Mabel, the older man saved the day with his fast action, which surprised me considering he’s usually plodding along at a slow pace.

      I’ve stumbled too on streets, only fallen on my face once. Like you I just keep moving forward hoping I’m not physically hurt, allowing my ego to be embarrassed.

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  73. When I’ve had a scene unfold in front of me like that it seems to happen so quickly that I can’t react. But, it also seems to occur in slow motion. Weird. It’s as if my brain is working fiercely to understand and to calculate all the possible outcomes, even though I’m not helping anybody. Frozen in place, I guess. Glad the family came out unscathed! And, BTW, I have tripped and fallen in public more times than you can imagine. Strangers either rush to my side or walk past, depending on how much drama or comedy there is.

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    • Gwen, you’ve described what happened to me as I watched the stroller roll away. I was mesmerized, immobile, yet realized I could be doing something to help if I could figure out what that’d be.

      Good point about tripping/falling in public, it can be a drama or a comedy. I’ve done both.

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  75. Whew, I am so glad everything ended up okay! What a scary situation. Every time I see a close call like that, I honestly can’t stop the WORST case scenario from circling around in my brain. Like, I would have kept imagining if the old man WASN’T there and what would have happened. MY BRAIN IS A FUN PLACE.

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    • Stephany, I get that. I went down that road after this was over and I was thinking back on it. What if… what if… and I didn’t end up in a good place. I still cannot believe how fast that older man ran to stop the stroller. Admirable.

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  77. Love the quote Ally & what an amazing thing you witnessed, so pleased all involved were ok, & a nice reminder we all need help sometimes. I myself often rely on the kindness of tall strangers to reach things off high shelves in the supermarket.

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    • Rae Cod, I’m glad this story had a happy ending. I mean, can you imagine…? Your reliance on tall strangers is one that many of us can appreciate. It’s so great when you see a person who can easily reach that top shelf.

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