Karter Thorpe had just been picked up by his grandmother when they missed a turn that would quickly change everything. Carolyn Cook of Virginia was driving Karter home from school when fate took them down a different route.
Carolyn cut through a Lowe’s parking lot, watching for oncoming cars and pedestrians. But Karter spied something startling. The inquisitive little guy knew he had to take action.
Karter had seen a lifeless man lying on the ground. Despite being just six, he knew that something was wrong. He hollered at Mimi, which is what he calls his grandma, to tell her what he saw. Karter pleaded with her to turn around, and once grandma finally did, she couldn’t believe her eyes. At first, Carolyn chalked Karter’s sighting up to an active imagination, but finally conceded after hearing her grandson yell:
“No, you have to stop! He’s hurt, He’s hurt. You have to go back!”
So Carolyn turned around to show him that everything was okay, but when she did, she also saw the man lying on the ground, gasping for air. She put the car in park and sprinted to him to help. She called 911, then another person who saw the commotion came over to administer CPR until paramedics arrived.
The man was transported to the hospital, but Carolyn and Karter didn’t know what had happened to him. One week later, Carolyn received a private message through Facebook from the man’s family, thanking her and Karter for stopping and helping.
The man had sustained a massive heart attack. But because of Karter and Carolyn’s quick response to him in the throes of his medical emergency, he lived. If they hadn’t stopped, he likely would’ve died, the family said. Carolyn knew divine intervention is what saved that man’s life and directed her and Karter to him.
“I still get weepy. I’m just thankful. Thankful that God put me in that parking lot when he did. He would not take no for answer. He was determined and I’m glad he was.”
Watch the adorable Karter talk about helping save the man’s life with his Mimi.
The man’s family fondly calls Karter their “little angel.” If it wasn’t for the little guy’s sharp eye and determination in steering his grandmother to the helpless man, the outcome would’ve been different. Instead, the man is alive today, recovering from his heart attack thanks to this pair of heroes. Once the man has recovered fully, he plans to meet Karter and thank him in person.
