HOBE SOUND, Fla — Josiah Baur and Debbie Spoelstra — two strangers turned friends, brought together by an incredible act of courage.
It happened last Friday around 5 p.m., when Spoelstra was driving along Southeast Bridge Road and Dixie Highway in Hobe Sound. Spoelstra made a turn, and suddenly a crossing arm came down on top of her car, trapping her on the tracks. Her car's antenna was caught on the crossing arm.
"I just went to turn and as soon as I turned, the gate came down on the top of my car," Spoelstra said. "Then I realized that I was trapped it was absolutely trapped.”
Dash cam video obtained from a nearby driver shows the close call. As Spoelstra tried to figure out what to do, she hoped someone would come to her aid.
"I know for sure somebody might come up from behind and help me, but you know didn't happen and then all of a sudden I looked and I saw my guardian angel coming over the track," Spoelstra said.
That's when Baur, who was on his way home from work, spotted her car. Baur was in a rush at the time and calls the moment a lesson, because he was forced to slow down and help.
"I looked down on my phone looked back up, and I see Miss Debbie's car stuck on the train tracks with the arm down behind it," Baur said. “As she's trying to move and I was like holy cow she's stuck in the tracks. She's going to get hit so I threw it in parking and just took off running," Baur said.
As Baur ran toward her, he was tracking the approaching train. "As I was running, I was trying to see where the train was, how far off it was, how much time and also which side of the track it was on and when I noticed it was on her side of track I'm like okay now or never we gotta do this," Baur said.
Baur lifted the crossing arm, allowing Spoelstra to reverse to safety — just before the train came through.
"It was incredible and after he had he had lifted the gate off I don't know how many seconds passed by and then the train came right by so it was a close call. It was very close," Spoelstra said.
For Baur, it was a close call, but the right thing to do. "Don't hesitate to help others when they're in need. I didn't sit there and think about it, if I sat there and he hesitated who knows if I would've got there in time," Baur said. "People say she's a stranger to me but she's a child of God just like I am.”
The two believe the moment was meant to be."I think it was a God thing and for those if you don't believe, I don't know it was just a miracle," said Spoelstra.
Spoelstra plans to take Baur and his family out for dinner as a thank you. She also noted an interesting connection — she has a 9-month-old grandson named Josiah. She says she will never forget what Baur did.
"He's an amazing individual. He's selfless. He is my guardian angel," Spoelstra said. "I'll never forget what he's done ever. I'm truly grateful and indebted to him.”
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