A food delivery driver was hailed as a hero after running into oncoming traffic lanes to rescue a toddler in the middle of the street.
Gerson Tavares was driving on Burbank Boulevard in Van Nuys Sunday night when a little boy in a diaper walked right in front of his vehicle.
The food delivery driver’s dash camera captured the whole thing -- including Tavares’ actions after he realized the toddler was all alone.
“I run more and more. I know if I got out of the lane, the drivers don’t see the boy,” Gerson said in an interview with KCAL9, explaining why he risked his own life. “The boy is little, little.”
He said the toddler seemed “transfixed” by the tablet he was holding and that may have been the reason he hadn’t realized he was surrounded by traffic.
Tavares’ son Igor said his dad’s heroic actions are exactly what he would expect.
“You were the right guy, the right place, doing the right thing. And for me, what makes me more proud of him is how quick he acted,” Igor said in an interview with CBS2. “Fast reaction. Just the way I expect my dad to be, you know? My hero. I love this guy.”
At this point, LAPD said it is unclear how the boy ended up in the middle of the street. He has since been returned home and the Department of Children and Family Services is set to follow up on the situation.





