Brave toddler rescues great-grandmother after her accidental fall at home: ‘I call him a hero’

An accidental fall is a serious public health issue, particularly for people aged 65 and older, as it leads to high rates of injuries and deaths worldwide.

While falls can happen to anyone, older adults face a much greater risk. According to the World Health Organization, falls cause about 684,000 deaths annually and send millions to the hospital.

In the U.S., the National Institute on Aging reports that more than 25% of older adults fall each year, with 10% suffering injuries.

One recent incident highlighted the dangers of an accidental fall and an extraordinary act of courage.

A three-year-old Bridger Peabody sprang into action after his great-grandmother, Sharon Lewis, fell outside her home in Strasburg, Colorado.

Despite the darkness, the young boy managed to find his way and help her.

The story, reported by KUSA, reminds us of the risks older adults face and the importance of quick thinking in emergencies.

That night, three-year-old Bridger Peabody stayed with his great-grandmother, whom he affectionately calls “GiGi,” while the rest of his family was at the Children’s Hospital.

His mother, Stephanie Peabody, told PEOPLE they were there for his older sister, Tenleigh, who was being treated for a finger injury from a shopping cart.

As Bridger and Sharon approached her home, she suddenly lost her balance and fell, hitting her head on the corner of a cement step.

“We went up to the backyard, dark backyard,” Sharon told KUSA. “Then we got up to the door where I was going to get the keys out. Well, I must have tripped over something just sticking up there.”

Bridger vividly remembered the moment his great-grandmother’s accidental fall. “She had her walker, and then she fell,” he said. “She bonked her head, and it popped open.”

Hoping for help, Sharon called a neighbor after noticing her lights were on.

But after about five minutes with no response, Bridger turned to her and said the neighbors couldn’t hear them, his mother, Stephanie, told PEOPLE.

Sharon told KUSA that despite her head injury and blood-soaked clothes, she assured Bridger that she was okay. However, she also clarified that she needed his help to get more assistance.

She asked him to go to the car and retrieve her phone, but he hesitated, afraid of the darkness.

Sensing his fear, she encouraged him to be brave and reminded him that he was not alone.

Reflecting on the moment later, Bridger admitted he was scared of being outside in the dark.

Surveillance footage showed Bridger going to the driveway as Sharon guided him to open the door.

Despite his fear, he reassured himself and successfully retrieved the phone. Once inside, he called out to let Lewis know he had it.

He quickly returned the phone, allowing Sharon to call for help. Paramedics later took her to UCHealth Anschutz, where doctors treated her for a severe concussion and closed her head wound with 22 staples.

Stephanie said the staples have been removed, and Lewis is recovering well.

Stephanie, Sharon’s granddaughter, was unaware of the incident until she received a motion alert from her driveway.

She was alarmed to see ambulances outside her home when checking her security app. Panicked, she called her mother, who assured her that help had arrived.

Their neighbor Tim was with Bridger, while Tim’s wife, Darcee, stayed with Lewis. Even with the reassurance, Stephanie felt overwhelmed and couldn’t hold back her tears.

Stephanie and Matt couldn’t be prouder of Bridger for his bravery, especially since he is usually afraid of the dark. For Lewis, he is nothing short of a hero, believing she might not have gotten the help she needed without him.

“He’s just a blessing,” Lewis told KUSA. “I call him a hero. He goes, ‘No. I’m Bridger.’ He’s not quite sure what a hero is, I think, but he definitely is.”

Here’s Sharon sharing Bridger’s heroic act after her accidental fall: