80-Year-Old Hero Acts When No One Else Will to Save Man Trapped Inside a Car Sinking in Water

An 80-year-old hero acted when no one else would to save a man trapped inside a car sinking in water!

What would you do if you saw a car sinking in water? 80-year-old Steve Montelongo didn’t think twice about it despite his age. He was taking his granddaughter home from the dentist when the unexpected happened. 

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They were stopped at a traffic light, much like any other day when his granddaughter exclaimed, “'Oh my god. A car just went into the canal, grandpa.'"

Steve pulled over immediately and ran to the edge of the water. There, he saw a man, alone in the car, and he was unable to get out. Steve said, "I see about 20 people gathered there. The guy's still in the car." So he said to himself, "I guess it's up to me." Then he jumped into the water. 

Steve was worried about getting sucked into the car, and he was also worried about the man drowning.

"I literally yanked him out, just praying that T-shirt wouldn't rip off right there, you know?" He said the driver was alert and conscious when he pulled him from that car.

Steve Is No Ordinary Man 

But this isn’t the first time Steve has been hailed a hero. In 2003, he received a Carnegie Missions Medal. The medal is a bronze medallion and is awarded to civilians who risk their lives to an extraordinary degree saving or attempting to save the lives of others. Steve was awarded this medal because he had saved two neighbors in their 80s from their burning home. 

He said, "Heard the explosion, ran over to see what was going on. I thought it was my house. It was the neighbor’s house," he recalled. "Ran over there. My son was trying to get in the door. He couldn't, so I said, 'Move, let me try.'"

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The man rescued at the canal is the third life he has saved. Although he's being called a hero again, this 80-year-old said he's no hero. He said he was just in the right place at the right time. It’s men like Steve who remind us of how Jesus taught we ought to lay down our lives for another, friend or stranger for that matter. 

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends. John 15:13

WATCH: 80-Year-Old Hero Saves Man from Sinking Car While Others Simply Watch

LISTEN: 6-Year-Old Injured While Shielding His 4-Year-Old Sister So Captain America Sent Heartfelt Message 

h/t: KCRA News

Heather Riggleman is a believer, wife, mom, author, social media consultant, and full-time writer. She lives in Minden, Nebraska with her kids, high school sweetheart, and three cats who are her entourage around the homestead. She is a former award-winning journalist with over 2,000 articles published. She is full of grace and grit, raw honesty, and truly believes tacos can solve just about any situation. You can find her on GodUpdates, iBelieve, Crosswalk, Hello Darling, Focus On The Family, and in Brio Magazine. Connect with her at www.HeatherRiggleman.com or on Facebook.