The individual who rescued a baby boy in a stroller from rolling into fast-moving traffic, and is being hailed as a Good Samaritan, has come forward with his story.
Ron Nessman, who was previously homeless for eight years, had recently completed a job interview at a nearby Applebee’s restaurant in Hesperia, California. As he was leaving the area, he witnessed the stroller heading straight towards the main road.
Despite the heart-stopping moment, Nessman managed to save the baby from harm, as captured in a tense video clip. The incident occurred after the baby’s great aunt tripped and lost her hold on the stroller.
Sitting on a bench at a nearby carwash, Nessman noticed the baby heading towards the four-lane Bear Valley Road. The stroller was being propelled by strong winds that were blowing through the high desert.
‘I didn’t have time to even think about it. You just react,’ he told KCAL News.
In an interview with the outlet, Nessman expressed his sympathy for the baby’s great aunt, stating that he could not imagine being in such a distressing situation, especially with his own nephews and nieces in mind. He added that he would not have been able to live with himself if he had not intervened.
Nessman, who used to work as a truck driver, had been homeless for eight years following the sudden passing of his girlfriend in 2018. The tragic event led to a period of depression, and it was only recently that he returned to Hesperia to reconnect with his family. For the past three months, he has been living with his sister, whom he credits with helping him get back on track.
He explained, ‘I decided to get right. If you want something different in your life, you do something different and that’s where I am at today.’
Nessman’s sister, Donna Gunderson, also spoke to the outlet about witnessing her brother’s heroic actions in rescuing the baby boy.
The woman recounted hearing screams coming from the right, and upon looking back, saw the stroller heading down the driveway towards the road where cars were travelling at speeds of 50 to 55 miles per hour. She described feeling her heart drop at the sight.
Thankfully, her brother was able to catch the stroller before it reached the road, preventing a potentially catastrophic accident.
Nessman expressed his gratitude that both the baby and his great aunt were unharmed, stating that he was glad he was able to intervene in time. He reflected, ‘I knew I could get it and I got it and I’m thankful for that because I really wouldn’t want to see the end result if I wasn’t there.’
The great aunt had reportedly made multiple attempts to get back on her feet after tripping and was in a state of shock and tears when Nessman reached her. Her knees were also bleeding.
The video capturing Nessman’s heroic act was initially shared on Twitter by USSGoodGirl at approximately 7:30 pm on Monday, with the caption ‘Windy AF here today and the stroller rolled away… Thank god a man catches the stroller before anything bad happens to this lady’s baby.’ The video has since gone viral and has been viewed over 58 million times.
Numerous social media users expressed their admiration for Nessman and even went as far as to hope that he would get the job he interviewed for at Applebee’s. One person tweeted, ‘I hope he gets that job he applied for. Incredible!!!’ and another said ‘Please give him the job.’
Many viewers also expressed their well wishes for Nessman’s future, with one person writing, ‘I wish this man happiness and I hope he is able to get a job and move ahead with his life.’
Some people raised concerns about the safety of the stroller, with one viewer asking, ‘Why wasn’t it locked?! No way I’d let my hands off a stroller if it was windy like that.’
Before Nessman’s identity was revealed, many viewers expressed their gratitude for his bravery. One person wrote, ‘I hope the guy who saved the day by catching the stroller got some kind of kudos locally. Impressive feat,’ while another added, ‘I watched that with my heart in my throat,’ wrote another user. ‘God bless that man.’