3-Year-Old Boy Helps Save Elderly Neighbor Who Was Forced to Sit Trapped in Her Dark Basement for Days

When a 3-year-old Hampton boy saw newspapers piling up outside his neighbor's door, he sensed something was not right. Soon, the police recovered the resident from her dark basement, where she had been trapped for days without food and water.

Life-threatening incidents happen around us all the time, but very few people step up to help when they see someone in such a situation. The selfless efforts of these people are often the sole reason why others get a second chance at life.

The hero of our story, a 3-year-old boy, also saved his neighbor's life when he sensed something was wrong. If it was not for the boy, the woman might have lost her life in the dark basement of her house.

A REGULAR DAY

It was a regular day for Eyas Tran on May 6, 2020, when he was cycling in the neighborhood. He loved delivering newspapers to Peggy Pilat-Roth, his 67-year-old next-door neighbor.

Like always, Eyas cycled to her house to deliver the newspaper and ring the bell. However, he sensed something was wrong when he saw three newspapers stacked on her doorstep.

Worried for Pilat-Roth, Eyas quickly cycled back to his mother, Minh Tran, to tell her about his observations. Minh tried reaching Pilat-Roth via phone calls to no avail. During an interview, Minh confessed:

"We consider her family."

CALL FOR HELP

Since Pilat-Roth was neither answering her phone nor opening her door, Minh called 911 for help. Soon, a team of first responders arrived at her doorstep.

A few moments later, the police officers heard sounds from Pilat-Roth's basement. That's when they realized she was trapped inside and quickly barged into her house to rescue her.

Pilat-Roth said she banged a chain against a metallic surface in her basement to catch the officers' attention. Once she came out and was able to talk, she told everyone how she accidentally got trapped in her dark basement.

SHE GOT TRAPPED

Pilat-Roth said she had gone into her basement and didn't know when the door closed behind her. When she tried opening the door, it didn't open, so she had no other option except to stay in the basement for the next three days. She said:

"No bathroom, shower, no bed, nothing. Just total darkness. I knew once (the door) clicked and I was there, I said, 'I gotta wait.'"

The elderly woman survived without food and water for three days. During her stay in the basement, she relied on sounds to guess what time it was. She also said she climbed and went down the stairs to get some exercise.

THE HERO

After Pilat-Roth was out of danger, the police praised little Eyas's efforts by gifting him a baseball hat, t-shirt, and a toy set of emergency vehicles. They also awarded him with their Lifesaving Award. Deputy Police Chief David Hobbs said:

"We truly thank this young boy for his actions in alerting his mother."

Meanwhile, Police Chief Richard Sawyer also appreciated Eyas for timely informing his mother about the pile of newspapers in front of his next-door neighbor's house. "Even a 3-year-old boy can be a hero in Hampton," he said.

THE WOMAN'S SIXTH SENSE

There was a reason why Pilat-Roth didn't panic much during her stay in the basement. She said she knew her little friend would try to save her after looking at the pile of newspapers. She said:

"I know my buddy. He's like number one on my list to rescue me."

Little Eyas's keen observation skills helped him save the day. His mother also felt proud of his achievement, revealing that her 3-year-old was ready to become a first-responder because he often pretended to rescue people and put out fires whenever they went for a walk.

Sometimes, even children can rescue adults, so parents need to pay attention whenever they hear their child talking about something unusual. Minh set an example for other parents through the way she responded when Eyas expressed his concerns.

If you enjoyed reading this story, make sure to share it with your friends and family to praise little Eyas's genuine efforts to save his neighbor.

Click here to read another story about a little boy who helped an elderly lady climb the stairs after stopping traffic. He saw her while sitting in the car with his mother and sister.