A supermarket manager in Puebla, Mexico, Luis Cruz, intervened to save a 3-year-old girl from oncoming traffic after she ran into a busy road on Sunday.
Cruz, a manager at Super King El Rey del Ahorro, was operating a forklift outside the store when he spotted the girl running toward the road. Security footage shows the girl slipping from her mother’s grip and fleeing past two adults who chased her. One of the adults, a woman, slipped and fell, leaving the child unsupervised as she entered the path of oncoming vehicles.
Cruz immediately dropped his task and sprinted onto the road, lunging to grab the girl just as a silver minivan approached. Both fell to the ground as the vehicle screeched to a halt. Cruz then returned the child to her guardians before resuming his duties. The incident occurred around 2 p.m. local time in Puebla.
The supermarket later awarded Cruz 20,000 Mexican pesos (approximately $1,200) and named him Manager of the Year in recognition of his actions. In a social media post, the store praised Cruz’s bravery, stating, 'Today, Puebla has a new superhero.'
Cruz, who has a child of his own, told local media he acted without hesitation, driven by paternal instinct. He also urged parents to closely monitor young children in public spaces. The store confirmed the details to multiple outlets but did not provide additional comments beyond the public statements.
The video of the rescue, shared by the supermarket, has circulated widely, drawing attention to Cruz’s split-second decision to prioritize the child’s safety over his immediate responsibilities.