We’re so inundated with bad news on an around-the-clock basis thanks to the social media news cycle that much of the good stuff happening around the country and in our world goes ignored, creating a whole generation of cynics who have become bitter and possess a negative worldview. Who can blame them? If you never hear about the good things going on, how are you going to go about developing a positive worldview?
According to TheBlaze, a teen umpire in the state of Florida is now being called a hero after he saved a 7-year-old boy from a dust devil during a baseball game last weekend.
“Sunday afternoon seemed like a nice day for baseball in Jacksonville, Florida. At the Fort Caroline Athletic Association park, it was sunny and hot as several 8-and-under teams battled their way through a Mother’s Day tournament. Among those games was a tough matchup between the FCAA Indians and the Ponte Vedra Sharks,” the report said.
“At the top of the fourth inning, the Indians were looking to add to their one-run lead. With one out and nobody on, an Indians player stepped up to the plate to see whether he could start a rally for his team. He didn’t have much of a chance. Just as he was facing the second pitch, his at-bat was interrupted by a strong dust devil, which suddenly appeared just over home plate,” TheBlaze said.
The batter who was up at the plate took a swing and managed to get out of the way. But the catcher, located behind home plate, ended up getting caught in the middle of the dust devil. Bauer Zoya, 7, later went on to describe the scary situation when the wind and dust swirling about him nearly sent him airborne.
“I couldn’t breathe that much,” Bauer recalled. “So I held my breath, and I feel like I couldn’t touch the ground. So I kind of lifted up a little bit.”
Wind speeds inside a dust devil can reach up to 30 or even 40 mph, which put the young boy in serious danger. “I was scared,” Bauer said, “and I got afraid wondering if someone would pull me out.”
And that’s when Aidan Wiles, a 17-year-old junior in high school, jumped into action. Wiles earns a little extra spending money by working as an umpire at youth baseball games in his free time. At first, Wiles ducked away from the dust devil, once he saw the young player was in danger, he turned back.
“I just saw him freaked out, just like couldn’t find his way out,” Wiles recounted. “And I knew his little body couldn’t handle it, so I just rushed in and got him.”
Wiles wrapped Bauer in a bear hug and pulled him out of the dust devil and out of danger.
“I was worried about his safety because when I got taught, the players’ safety is always the first thing,” Wiles said.
It's the viral video that has two local athletes in the national spotlight🌪
Today I got to catch up with both of them about what was going through their minds while inside the Dust Devil on the Diamond & how a scary few seconds started a long-lasting friendship.@ActionSportsJax pic.twitter.com/N5WqM4OzmF— Alivia Tassely (@AliviaASJax) May 16, 2023
Here’s more from TheBlaze:
Many watching the game applauded Wiles for stepping in to save Bauer. One spectator even shouted, “You saved his life!” Bauer’s father, Brian Zoya, also praised Wiles as well. “A kid that just had the presence in mind to just do that, it’s just special to see,” Zoya said. “… He had great parents raising him.”
Bauer handled the incident like a champ as well. After his dad came out to the field, poured water on Bauer’s face to rinse the dirt, and gave him a short pep talk, Bauer went back into the game. The final score of the game is unclear, and the Sharks ultimately did not prevail in the tournament. But Bauer, his teammates, and Wiles still walked away winners.
Since it ended, Brian Zoya has reached out to Wiles’ parents in the hopes of arranging a reunion for the umpire and catcher. “Next time I see him, I just want to say thank you,” Bauer said.
With the current quality of our education system and how it is being used to create mindless robots dedicated to seeing the government as their parents, it’s super encouraging to see a young man being so selfless and caring about the safety of others put in his charge. This is what true leadership looks like.
Hopefully, Wiles’ actions and example will spread to others.
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