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While reporting on near misses and heroic rescues, I’ve realized how many good folks are constantly protecting us all from disaster. Of course this includes the millions of working police officers, firefighters, and first responders. But time and again, I find everyday folks eager to help making all the difference. Barbers Osvaldo Lugo and Rafael Santana are those kinds of people.

Imagine for a minute that you’re a mother taking the city bus in Hartford, Connecticut. You are waiting at the bus stop and take your eyes off your toddler daughter for just a second. When you look back down, she’s nowhere to be seen.

This nightmare came true for one Connecticut mother. And it got worse. When she did spot her daughter, the little girl was far away, running into a busy intersection.

Here’s the silver lining. The toddler scooted past the LookSharp Barbershop. In security footage, you can see her whiz by the front windows. Osvaldo Lugo and Rafael Santana were both in the middle of giving haircuts. They exchanged a look, dropped their clippers, and both dashed for the door.

Barber lines up a beard during a haircut.
Working barber | Agustin Fernandez W via Unsplash

Lugo said, “When I saw the baby running down the street, I knew I had to act…I couldn’t stop to think. All I thought was this was a recipe for disaster.”

Without a moment to spare, the two men wrenched open the door, flew down the steps, and sprinted after the little girl. If it were a race to the busy road, it would have been a photo finish.

The toddler was about to take a step into the crowded intersection, work trucks whizzing by, when Lugo got in front of her and scooped her into his arms. As Lugo comforted her, Santana hunted up and down the street for her parents.

Lugo didn’t blame the child’s mother in the least. “I know what it’s like to be a dad…they’ll run all over if you don’t keep an eye on them.” The hero said he was just happy to help. “I’m humbled to be the one to be there.”

Next, read about the dad who rescued a mother and baby from a sinking car with ratchet straps, or watch the security footage of the barbers’ heroic rescue in the video embedded below:

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.