The duck stood in the middle of White Rock Trail, quacking and flailing. A few humans noticed, and discovered the cause of the bird’s panic. Her babies were stuck in a storm drain on the other side of Northwest Highway.

Fortunately, it was a temperate, fire-free afternoon, so Dallas firefighters arrived, removed the drain cover and pulled the ducklings to street level.

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Still, a dilemma remained. How does a man communicate to duck that her wee ones are safe and waiting for her? How does he reunite mother and ducklings when a busy thoroughfare stands between them?

Lochwood resident Hosea Baker does his best. “Let’s go get your kids,” Baker can be heard saying off camera. Spoiler alert: The video (provided by Baker and edited, just at the edges, by us) shows him negotiating with the duck and eventually guiding her across a terrifying intersection and bustling bike path to a creekside patch where momma and babies can safely waddle their way to White Rock Lake.

Update: Baker later learned the woman heading up efforts on the baby duckling side, who contacted Dallas Fire Rescue, was Mary Hudel Rinne. The other woman was Stacy Thomas Baker, and the name of the other man remains unknown. 

“Mother duck was very appreciative to be reunited with her sweet little ducklings,” Hosea says. “Unfortunately the fire department left before we could thank them. Seeing the effort and how far people went out of their way to assist was wonderful. We live around many beautiful, caring, and helpful people.”