A stroller rolling into speeding traffic is the stuff of nightmares, but one man’s quick reaction turned a potential tragedy into an inspiring story.
The dramatic incident happened in Hesperia, California, on a windy Monday afternoon in May 2023. A gust of high desert wind sent a stroller—holding a baby—hurtling toward oncoming traffic on Bear Valley Road, a busy street with a 40-mph speed limit.
TO THE RESCUE: Surveillance video captures the moment a strong gust of wind sent a stroller with a baby inside rolling toward a busy roadway — with one bystander jumping into action before the stroller rolled into traffic. https://t.co/YUwNTlcyD8 pic.twitter.com/vu0ajMgjbH
— ABC News (@ABC) May 4, 2023
In surveillance footage, the baby’s great-aunt, desperate to stop the stroller, can be seen falling repeatedly as she tries to chase it down.
That’s when Ron Nessman, a man sitting on a nearby bench, sprang into action. “I didn’t even have time to think. You just react,” Nessman later told ABC7.
The video shows Nessman rushing toward the stroller, grabbing it just before it reached the driveway’s edge. Cars were speeding past only feet away. “And I said, ‘I got it!’ I felt so bad for the lady. I can’t imagine how she must’ve felt,” he said.
@Applebees This good Samaritan Ron Nessman just finished an interview w/Applebees in Hesperin CA when he jumped into action & saved a baby in a runaway stroller & then checked on the injured great aunt. Give this good man the job please!!https://t.co/XBm1UEIiY1
— Lee Carey (@LeeCarey312) May 4, 2023
Nessman then returned to help the baby’s great-aunt, who was in visible distress. The woman, in her sixties, had injured her knees and was overcome with shock. “She was crying, bleeding, and completely traumatized,” Nessman shared. “It was heart-wrenching to see.”
Nessman’s empathy runs deep. After losing his girlfriend in 2018, he endured a dark period of grief that left him homeless. Only recently had he moved to Hesperia to be closer to family and start rebuilding his life. In fact, he had just come from a job interview when he noticed the stroller rolling away.
“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I did nothing,” Nessman said. His selflessness has inspired many, with people calling him a hero.
Reflecting on the event, Nessman offered a simple yet powerful reminder to parents: “Always lock the wheels on your stroller.”
In a world often filled with stress and bad news, acts of kindness like this one stand out as a beacon of hope. Share this story with someone who needs a reminder that heroes can be found in everyday places.
