Faster Than Her Mother... Stranger Dramatically Saves Child Running Into Traffic

Branch Manager Hailed as a 'Hero' After Saving Child
Supermarket Awards Cruz 20,000 Pesos in Reward

A supermarket branch manager in Mexico has drawn attention after dramatically saving a young child from being hit by a car.

Mr. Luis Enrique Cruz, who rushed to rescue a child who ran onto the road faster than the parents. X 'Mexico_NewsMX' capture.

According to the New York Times (NYT) and local media on September 9 (local time), Luis Enrique Cruz, 34, was at work on his day off on September 6, working outside the store.

Around 2 p.m., while moving rolls of toilet paper, he spotted a young girl dashing towards a six-lane highway near the store. The child ran unhesitatingly into the busy road, and her mother, who tried to chase after her, fell down.

In a moment where an SUV, slamming on the brakes and honking, nearly collided with the child, Cruz, the father of four, lunged and barely managed to grab the girl. He rolled several times on the sidewalk while holding the child, and the parents, who arrived after, were able to take their unharmed child from him.

Slightly limping, he then walked back to his work area as if nothing had happened.

Cruz stated, "I saw the oncoming SUV and recognized the danger was imminent, so I immediately ran at full speed," adding, "Above all, it was my instinct as a father to protect a child." He emphasized, "Nothing in this world is more precious than a child."

The video spread rapidly online and across social media this week, and Cruz soon became a well-known figure in the local community. He met with the governor of Puebla, received free meals at local restaurants, and was warmly welcomed by residents. On September 7, the supermarket also presented Cruz with the "Branch Manager of the Year" award and a reward of 20,000 pesos (about 1.6 million won).

He commented, "I just did what needed to be done," and added, "Honestly, I never expected the video to go viral or to receive such praise." He went on, "If something had happened to the child when I could have done something, how would I have felt?" He concluded, "I was taught these values from an early age and have always believed in doing the right thing."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.