The search is on to find the good Samaritan who helped save a struggling mum, who jumped into the River Liffey after her baby’s buggy this week.
John Butler phoned in to Kildare FM to relay the story and appeal, after his wife Kelly’s frightening ordeal in Newbridge, on Monday.
According to John, Kelly was out at Linear Park with their four-year-old, two-and-a-half-year-old, and eight-week-old when the incident occurred.
The family were walking back to their car when the eldest child became tired, and Kelly turned around to tend to her.
When she turned back, she saw her infant daughter’s buggy slipping down the embankment and heading towards the water.
Screaming, Kelly jumped into the river after her baby and reached the tot just as the water was about to cover her head. She managed to hold the buggy up to keep the tot’s head above water but, naturally, was starting to struggle.
It was at this point that a fellow mother who was out at the park came running over from a bench. She helped Kelly get the baby out of the water, then took the wet clothes off the tot and wrapped her in her own scarf.
The kind stranger also comforted Kelly’s older children in their distress, and made sure Kelly was OK after her ordeal.
While Kelly was left with cuts and bruises after the incident, thankfully her baby is fine.
In the shock of the incident, however, Kelly forgot to get the woman’s name or details, and the Butler family is hoping she will come forward so they can thank her.
“We would like so much to get in contact with her, to thank her. We are indebted to her,” said John.
The father-of-three went on to describe the woman as blonde, wearing a black tracksuit top and runners. He said she seemed like a local, and was out with her own infant child at the time.
Thank heavens everyone is OK after the incident.
