When Jonathan Bauer and his 13-year-old daughter chose to take the longer but more picturesque way home from work, he had no idea what was about to happen, or what heroic part he would play in it.
However, he was engaged in a multi-vehicle incident when he crossed the Assawoman Bay bridge in Ocean City, Maryland.
At a news conference, Bauer said, “The first thing I remember is hearing tires squeal.”
“Then he noticed the truck wobbling back and forth, as if someone had lost control and was attempting to adjust,” he continued.
Bauer then observed the truck collide with a barrier and flip halfway over the rail.
He attempted to swerve out of the path but was still struck, causing his car’s windows to shatter and his daughter to be pelted with glass.
He noticed the truck driver struggling to get out of his truck but gravity kept pulling his door shut after checking on his daughter, who was fortunately okay.
By the time Bauer arrived, he’d managed to free himself, and the driver pointed into the water approximately 20-25 feet below without saying anything.
“He simply pointed down to the water, and when I glanced over, I saw the car seat, and then there was a small girl about six feet away from the car seat,” Bauer explained.
“She was floating on her back, head totally out of the water, arms moving, legs kicking, and wearing a little pink frock.”
He glanced around for boats but saw none, at which point he observed the female had rolled over and was now face down in the sea.
Bauer realized he needed to act quickly and told his daughter to stay with the car and call for help while he dived into the river to save the youngster.
His daughter sobbed as she described her father jumping into the ocean as the “most terrifying moment of her life.”
Bauer leaped into the shallow water, feet first, with no apparent effects from such a height.
He then swam up to the small girl, grabbed her out of the water, and carried her high on his shoulder, violently rubbing her on the back till she coughed up water.
Thankfully, a boat came to transport the couple to land.
Wendy was obviously moved as she expressed her pride in her husband while also expressing her amazement that he jumped given his fear of heights.
“I can swear that he would never ride the Ferris wheel with me,” his daughter stated.
According to Ocean City Today, eight individuals were brought to local hospitals that day, and a 2-year-old child was transferred to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore after the collision, which shut down the bridge for six hours.
Jonathan stated that he wished to thank the emergency workers that arrived at the site.
Bauer, Ava, and his wife were appointed honorary members of the EMS by Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan. Bauer was also given a plaque in recognition of his bravery.
According to Ocean City Today, “Jonathan is genuinely a modest hero, and that’s what makes this even more wonderful than it already was.”
“Today is a day of gratitude. This was a terrible accident… Everyone is OK at the conclusion of the narrative, and they are fine because of everyone in this room.”
We have no idea how we would respond in such a circumstance. I can’t image how terrible jumping from that bridge must have been, but Jonathan knew he had no alternative if he wanted to save the girl; he is a genuine hero.
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