Brave Umpire Pulls 7-Year-Old Baseball Player From A Dust Devil

You never know what is going to happen when you go out for a game of baseball. Some games are relatively slow-paced but others may have a surprise or two in store.

When Aiden Wiles was officiating a game in Jacksonville, Florida, the umpire saw something happening and knew he had to act quickly. The 7-year-old catcher was inside a dust devil and couldn’t escape.

Aiden took action and a video shared by KLTV 7 caught everything as it happened. It was a Mother’s Day game, with the Fort Caroline Athletic Association Indians playing the Ponte Vedra Sharks when the dust devil formed right at the home plate, dirt and debris started flying around 7-year-old Bauer Zoya.

According to a local news station, the catcher said he got afraid and wondered if somebody would pull him out. He was having a hard time breathing so he held his breath and felt like he couldn’t touch the ground.

When the 17-year-old umpire noticed that the boy was in trouble, he picked him up and carried him safely from the area. He said he saw the youngster freak out, looking like he was trying to fight his way out of it and he knew he couldn’t do it on his own.

The rocks flying scratched the chest and stomach of the umpire but he knew that it was important to save the younger child. He was concerned about his safety because he was taught that was always the first and most important thing.

Bauer was frightened at first, thinking the tornado was carrying him off but then he realized it was the umpire saving him.

His father was able to pour cold water in his eyes and he returned to the game.

Even though dust devils are not as dangerous as tornadoes, they can cause injuries to those when they get inside. According to the We Are Iowa, they are essentially like a small tornado and should be treated with respect. Sometimes, the wind speed can reach up to 80 mph.

Bauer’s team didn’t win but he did gain a new friend. The umpire also got a thank you from the parents for his quick action before a tragedy occurred.