There is nothing a loving parent wouldn’t do to save one of their kids in need. Call it the “mama bear” instinct or call it whatever you like, there are few things that frighten a parent more than the threat of losing a child. For one woman, that threat became a reality that nearly came true.
A woman was driving down the road a few days ago when something terrible happened.
Candace Pimentel is from Gardendale, Alabama, and had a run-in with tragedy. Candace and her son, Raylen, were driving home from church and everything seemed normal. Then, all of a sudden, Candace realized that her son was choking on a piece of hard candy that he had been eating.
Raylen had been sipping juice from a juice box when he accidentally swallowed a large piece of hard candy.
Immediately, he started choking. Candace, driving the car, began to panic. In a desperate act, she pulled over to the side of the road and did everything she could to clear her sons through. Attempting the Heimlich, she did all she could but was slowly watching her son become weaker and weaker.
In a desperate last attempt for help, she ran to the side of the road and tried to flag down anyone willing to stop.
While she flagged down a car, her other son grabbed her phone and attempted to call paramedics. He was so distraught, however, that he ended up calling 199 instead of 911! It was at this moment that someone finally stopped.
A man in a pickup truck hopped out and ran towards the scene.
Seeing what was happening, he ran over to Raylen and gave a “stronger” Heimlich than his mom was able to give. Soon, the candy popped out of his mouth and Raylen took a gasping breath of air. The man had done it. Raylen then did the only thing that a boy his age could be expected to – he picked up the candy and tossed it into the street!
The man then turned, gave Candace a hug, and told her he loved her and her kid.
Candace is convinced that the man was a guardian angel sent to save her sons life. From her situation, it doesn’t seem an unreasonable assumption! You never know how a split second will make a difference in situations like those. Regardless, Candace is thankful the man stopped to help – angel OR mortal.
A new rule for Raylen?
No hard candies! In an interview, he said his lesson is:
“No hard candies for me, said my mom… and me!”
Raylen also thinks that the man was an angel. Regardless, he now knows that he has a big plan for his life! It’s not every day that you get strangers saving you from the side of the road, now is it?
Check out the video below!
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