OMG
Tough Toddler Escapes Carjacking & Wows Us With Survival Skills (VIDEO)
It was a parent's worst nightmare: Anthony Pettiford of Colorado Springs was standing right next to his car in a convenience store parking lot, talking to a couple of his buddies, when somebody suddenly got in his car and drove away -- with Pettiford's 3-year-old son in the backseat! Can you even imagine? I start to panic just thinking about it. Pettiford and his friends ran after the car but lost sight of it after about 10 blocks.
At which point the poor guy must've thought he'd never see his little boy again.
Good thing Pettiford's little boy is apparently the most sensible, quick-thinking toddler ever.
Nobody's sure exactly what happened next, but police think that when the carjacker realized the boy was in the backseat, he left him on the side of the road (why slap a potential kidnapping charge on to your already serious crime?).
So here's where the story takes a turn for the incredible. What do you think the average 3-year-old would do if a stranger stole his daddy's car -- with him in it -- then left him alone on the street at 2 a.m.? (Oh, did I mention it was snowing/sleeting and the boy was only wearing "nighttime diapers" and a thin jacket?) Personally, I would expect hysterical tears and not much else.
Not this kid.
Instead, he went straight to the nearest home, walked up the 14 slippery steps to the front door of the duplex carrying a bag with a container of soy milk, diapers, wipes, and a sippy cup, and rang the doorbell. When 53-year-old nurse Traci Gilbert opened the door, the snow-covered boy had just one thing to say:
"Help me, I'm cold."
Once Gilbert made sure the child was physically okay, her (grown-up) son drove him back towards the convenience store to find his dad. Before they even got there, they ended up flagging down a police officer who was already searching for Pattiford's son and soon the family was reunited.
"He never shed a single tear the whole time. That boy is a hero to me," says Gilbert. I agree, he's an amazing kid. But Gilbert is a hero too! Thank god the boy happened to ring the doorbell of a kind, compassionate mom (who just happened to be trained in first aid)!
If the group hug at the end of this clip is any indication, I'm guessing Gilbert and the Pettiford family are going to be friends for life.
Do you have a toddler? What would he do in a situation like this one?
Image via huffingtonpost
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Thesimpletruth
JustSayin...
Gretta
Michelle Tarango
Because sometimes Mama needs a break! What if the kid couldn't sleep and the car ride was for that. Or the mama works nights and obviously you can't leave a 3 year old at home alone. And the daddy brought him in just a diaper and jacket because he was planning on the kid staying in the warm car, hence why he went inside without him. Now he knows
butterfly8330
I agree that there are BIG HOLES in the store. If you watch the video attached with this story, there is a mom and a big brother, so where were they? Why did the dad take the kid to the store at 2am in the morning with no clothes nor jacket. What was so important that the dad had to go to the convient store at 2am? The boy is 3yrs old and I personally have a 3yr old...at 2am mine is sleeping and at 3yrs old the child should eat/drink more than just milk. I am glad that the boy is okay but I just wonder where were the parents. Who called the police? Was it GIlbert or the father?
Christie
Debbie Rogers Hale
So did the carjacker give the kid a care package when he let him out? I question this as well.
jaylensmommy145
it dosent matter if the boy was in just a diaper! yea thats a whole diff story here! what matters is that he is safe and he is a tough cookie! idk what i would do if that happened to my 3 year old!
tyrelsmom
To the others, there could be many reasons to be out at that hour. The lack of clothes is a little wierd, but there can be reasons for that, too, such as a major spill on his clothes.
DestinyHLewis
Sorry, but the article says the dad was "talking to a couple of his buddies" when this took place, and the video says he left his kid in the car, with the keys and ignition running... Hmmmmmm? ALL at 2:30 in the morning. ARE YOU JOKING? I understand the possibility of having to run out at that time for numerous reasons when dealing with kids. However, they GO WITH YOU! YOU NEVER leave a child that age unattended in a running car. NOT EVER. I feel badly for the child, and am grateful he is OK. However, I do not think this is a story to promote. His parents are idiots. Maybe not the mom, but she certainly didn't seem to place ANY blame on her moronic partner for this episode.