Every kid has a superhero, it could be from a comic book, a tv show, or even a sports team. They dream of facing danger and saving the day just like their heroes. Except, danger in comic books is far from reality. Because when danger hits you for real, you don't have a superpower to tackle it. You only got your instincts.
And that is a lesson that Jerald Withers was about to learn one fine afternoon on his way home from school. As he was sitting in the school bus, lazily gazing out the window, something caught his eye. What he witnessed was a true catastrophe that left him bewildered but Jerald managed to follow his instincts and what he did next could not have been expected from a little boy of his age.
It was a sunny morning in Jefferson County, Missouri. Jerald was still in his bed buried under the covers not ready to get up for school. His mum had been banging on the door for almost ten minutes. He finally managed to get out of his bed and open the door to let her know he is awake. She urged him to get ready quickly if he doesn't want to miss the school bus.
Jerald rushed down the stairs and sat down for breakfast. He stuffed his mouth with pancakes with his eyes on the TV. The Green Bay Packers were playing today and that was partly the reason he got ready super fast, he wanted to watch as much of the game as possible before his bus arrived. He has been their biggest fan for as long as he could remember. He dreamt of playing for their team one day.
Jerald's thoughts came to an abrupt halt at the sound of the bus horn. The driver honked it three times to announce he has arrived. Jerald grabbed his bag, kissed his mom goodbye and ran out the door. That was pretty much how most of his mornings went, in a blur and rushing through things to get to school.
The school was boring as usual. Like every other 11-years-old, Jerald was ready to go back to bed after the first class. But he did have something to look forward to, he had a gym class today which means he gets to practice football for as long as he wants. Sleeping through the rest of the classes, Jerald couldn't wait for the day to be over.
After sleeping and lazing around throughout the day, it was finally time for football practice and Jerald could not wait. The sun was shining at the top of their heads now, Jerald could feel sweat dripping down his back. The referee blew into the whistle and off he went with his team. It was time to play!
Once football practice was over, it was time to head home. Jerald rushed inside the bus and claimed a seat near the window. Slowly the rest of the seats got filled with students and they were ready to head home. Jerald rested his head against the window was ready to doze off for a few minutes before his stop comes.
When halfway through the journey sleep didn't come, Jerald knew he has to stay awake for the rest of the way. Sleeping around dozens of chatty kids sounds too good to be true anyway. He turned to face the window and looked outside, they were about to cross a bridge. Jerald caught sight of something at the far corner right near the turn of the bridge.
It looked like some kind of shadow, but he sensed some movement. Jerald squinted his eyes to make out what it was but the bus was already past it by the time he could get a proper look. Something about the whole thing seemed to be a bit off. He decided to talk to the bus driver about it.
Jerald got up from his seat and went to talk to the bus driver. He explained what happened and said he saw something down there. The bus driver, who was too busy to pay attention to Jerald, asked him to just ignore it because it was probably a deer or something. Jerald, who was not convinced by this theory, insisted they check it out once but the driver did not listen.
All through the rest of the way, Jerald kept thinking about what he saw. He didn't know why but he couldn't get it out of his head. His mind was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he almost missed his stop. Once he got home, nothing really changed. He kept thinking about what he saw and what it could have been.
Jerald plopped himself down in front of the TV, his mind too distracted to even turn it on. Maybe it was a deer? But he could tell there was more to it than meets the eye. Jerald determined he should discuss this with his mother, because how else will he go back and find out what happened on that bridge. But before approaching her, he needed to be sure.
Brandy could clearly tell something was off with her son. He wasn't talking to her about his day, he didn't ask her what's for dinner, he just seemed too lost with his thoughts. At first, she thought she will let him be, he will come to her when he feels ready to talk. But when she saw he is clearly struggling with his thoughts, she decided to talk to her son about it.
Jerald's mother approached him and sat him down with her. He knew he can talk to her about anything so he began to narrate what happened on the bus when he was coming home. His mother listened very patiently. She asked what he thinks he saw, but Jerald could not describe it other than a "moving shadow". Seeing her son's concerned look, Brandy decided to investigate further.
Jerald told his mother that the driver assumed it is probably just a deer down there. But he knows for sure it was not a deer. Brandy gave him an understanding look. He was glad his mother believed him and did not dismiss it. She asked Jerald what he wants to do about it and saw his expressions go from concerned to hesitant.
Brandy asked her son if it would make him feel better to go check it out with her. To her relief, Jerald looked happy with this decision. He wanted to go and see because he knew something was wrong and he trusts his instincts. So Brandy and Jerald got in her car and she drove as per Jerald's instructions.
During the way, Jerald's anxiety kicked in. What if there was nothing down there after all? But he knew what he saw. He kept instructing his mother down the road, trying to remember the way as best as he could. He tried to not let his nerves get the better of him and lose his sense of direction. At last, he saw the turn which led to the bridge.
Brandy and Jerald stepped out of the car and walked towards the bridge. It was still daylight so Jerald had a good feeling that he will be able to see what is down there. The duo reached the guard rail which was bent by some impact. Jerald reached the end of the guard rail and pointed towards the ditch.
Jerald pointed towards the ditch and told her mother he saw something down there from the bus window. Brandy knew what this meant, they are going to have to walk down to the ditch and check it out. Brandy got nervous at the idea of walking down to a ditch in the middle of nowhere. But she had to trust her son, so she followed as he led the way.
Brandy and Jerald walked slowly down towards the ditch when they saw what appeared to be tire marks, followed by broken pieces of machinery sprawled in a row. Brandy felt really nervous now, she could tell they are about to stumble upon something that will not be a pretty sight.
A few meters away from where they stood, Jerald spotted something which appeared to be remains of a motorcycle. Brandy checked and realized that the engine of the bike is cool. She hoped this means this bike did not just get here and was probably just some scrap metal left behind by someone. Except, she could not have been more wrong.
Jerald's eyes landed a few meters to the north where a body was sprawled across the ground. The guy was wearing a helmet but his body was still. Brandy wanted to rush in and take her little boy away from this gruesome scene. But she saw he was not scared, instead, he was concerned. He ran to her and asked for her phone.
Jerald dialed 911 from his mother's phone. Brandy could not tell if the biker was just injured or unconscious. Was he even alive? He has been here for quite a few hours for sure because the bike engine was cool to touch. She was just hoping they found him in time.
Soon enough, the paramedics reached the scene. They confirmed that the man was breathing but barely, they need to rush him to the nearest hospital. The motorcyclist was identified as a 36-year-old man named Billy McMahan. He was carried safely to a hospital and admitted for getting proper treatment.
Brandy and Jerald saw as the paramedics put the man on a stretcher and rushed him to a hospital. The paramedics informed them that his condition is quite critical but they will keep a close eye on him throughout the night and will update them in the morning about his progress. Brandy decided that they should just head home for the night.
Jerald's thoughts kept him awake most of the night. The next morning, his grandfather, who was a motorcycle enthusiast himself, tried to comfort him by telling him he did more than anybody would have done. He probably ended up saving his life and even if the doctors could not save him, Jerald should not blame himself at all.
Their discussion came to an abrupt stop at the sound of the phone ringing. It was the hospital. To their relief, Billy made it through the night. The doctors said that Billy was lying in that ditch for several hours before Brandy and Jerald found him. Thankfully, Jerald went back to check the ditch otherwise he would have frozen to death overnight.
Billy McMahan, a resident of Bonne Terre, was riding his bike heading east on Route P. He was taking a sharp turn when his bike deviated from the road and hit the bridge support. That is when the crash resulted in Billy and his bike tumbling down the hill and fall into the ditch right below the bridge. He was lucky Jerald noticed him otherwise this accident could have been fatal.
The doctors said that Billy will make a full recovery and he owes his life to Jerald who went against all odds and saved Billy's life. He trusted his gut and went back to save him. Not everyone would have done the same thing he did.
Brandy felt like a proud mother for raising a kid like Jerald. She hugged him tightly and planted a kiss on top of his head. Jerald knew what he did was the right thing and he was happy he could save a life. His instinct was right and he was proud of himself for following his gut.
Jerald's life didn't quite go back to normal as one would assume. He went on about his day and went to school and of course practiced football. But, he would keep a check on Billy's recovery too. He would ensure he is doing well and would go to visit him in the hospital with his mom. So far, Billy's body was slowly regaining strength but he was not awake yet, considering he endured a severe head injury.
Brandy received a call one morning from the hospital telling them that Billy gained consciousness and has been asking about the boy who saved his life. They were happy to visit him on the very same day. And when Jerald met Billy, he saw it in his eyes how thankful he was. He didn't shy away from expressing the same. The little boy was just glad he could help in saving his life.
Before they knew it, Jerald's story was the talk of the town. Local news channels and papers were covering his brave story about going against all odds and saving a man's life. He brought immense joy and pride to his family. His grandfather knew he is a great kid, always more worried about other people's welfare than his own.
And that was not all, Jerald's story traveled all the way to his heroes, The Green Bay Packers! They made an extra special effort to reach out to him and congratulate him on his brave act. They also sent him an autographed picture of Aaron Rodgers, his favorite player of the team along with a bunch of other goodies!
Jerald also received an exclusive letter of recognition from the NFL. The letter said, "We would like to commend you on saving the life of Billy McMahan from his motorcycle accident. What you did was very brave and you should be very proud." Jerald felt like he was on top of the world!
Despite the attention and the praises, Jerald remained the humble kid he is. He believes he did what anyone would have done in his position. It was his honor that his actions resulted in saving a man's life. Saving a life and helping out a person in need, it just felt like the right thing to do and that's what he did.
After gaining recognition and getting noticed by the NFL and the Green Bay Packers, Jerald's story spread like a wildfire all across the social media. Everybody was in awe of what he did and how his decision saved Billy's life. He became a local hero and the entire country was sending him love and appreciation.
This viral story was picked up by KSDK anchor, Ray Strickland. He invited Jerald and his family for an interview on their channel. He patted Jerald on his back saying, "As an 11-year-old, for you to have the wherewithal, on a loud and distracting school bus, to see a man in need and want to help was unbelievable."
He continued by saying, "Even when the bus driver thought you were seeing things. You knew what you saw, and told your mother that you need to go there! That showed real courage." Jerald was commended for his fearlessness and knowing what his gut says.
Who knows what would have happened if Jerald ended up ignoring what he saw. Billy would have remained in that ditch until someone would have found his lifeless body. Jerald made the right call and his one decision ended up saving Billy's life.
Since that incident, the school was not the same for Jerald. Everyone applauded him for what he did, he was the most popular boy in his school! Not that he helped Billy for this kind of reaction, but getting attention from his crush was certainly an added bonus in this situation! Regardless, Jerald is still an avid football player, determined on his goal to reach the NFL one day himself.