A two-year-old girl in Bozhou, China, escaped serious injury after falling 20ft from a ledge, thanks to a passer-by who caught her with his bare hands. The toddler was left with only a fractured ankle.
Quick-thinking rescue captured on video
Footage shows the youngster lowering herself from a 6m-high ledge before plunging towards the pavement. Chu Liang, 39, heard someone raise the alarm and ran beneath the toddler, holding out his arms as she fell.
He managed to cushion her fall before she slipped from his grasp and hit the pavement during the incident on Friday, August 21. Chu believes taking much of the impact himself helped protect the youngster.
Rescuer injured but grateful
The force left Chu unable to raise his arm for a day, while he also suffered pain in his leg and lower back. Despite rushing to the toddler's rescue, he was upset that he had not managed to catch her completely.
He told local media: "If I had managed to catch the child, she wouldn't have been injured." He was later relieved to discover the youngster had not suffered any serious injuries. She is now recovering in bed after being seen by a doctor.
Mother's gratitude after ordeal
The ordeal began while the girl's mum, Ms Wang, was tidying up inside their home. She said her daughter somehow managed to lock the front door, leaving her unable to get back inside. Worried about the toddler, Ms Wang tried to kick the door open but could not get through and went to search for a key.
Then she heard shouting coming from below. Wang rushed outside and discovered her daughter had fallen from the building - but a stranger had been there to help break her fall. She later attempted to give Chu money as a thank-you, but he refused to accept it and would not even leave his name or phone number.
Wang only discovered who had come to her daughter's rescue after his identity emerged through local media, according to NeedToKnow. She said: "Chu Liang saved my child, so of course I have to thank him. Otherwise, I would feel terrible."
