Every parent knows that keeping an eye on young children is a constant responsibility because tragedy can strike in mere seconds. Barbara Ribeiro was sharply reminded of this truth at a party she attended back in 1961, as reported by 11 Alive. When Ribeiro noticed 21-month-old Ben Cowell had disappeared, she immediately trusted her instincts—and her quick action ended up saving his life. Over six decades later, at age 94, she had the touching opportunity to reunite with the child she rescued.
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Cowell, now grown, recounted how he'd wandered away unnoticed. “Maybe a block,” he said. When his parents realized he was missing, they frantically started searching. Other party attendees joined, including Ribeiro, who felt strangely compelled to check a particular nearby house with a pool.
Ribeiro couldn't explain why she chose that specific home. “Yes, like I said, it was a mystery what prompted me to go where I did go," she remarked. Arriving at the house, she was horrified to see the toddler submerged at the bottom of the pool.
"Scary, frightening," Ribeiro remembered. Cowell added, "Yeah, the only thing that I had ever heard someone say—I think it was my mom telling me that when you guys found me, there weren’t any bubbles coming up. So no one knew how long I had been down there.”
Without hesitation, Ribeiro jumped into the pool, pulled Cowell out, and immediately performed CPR, saving his life. Although Cowell himself has no personal recollection of the incident, he acknowledges its profound impact. "When I really think of it, I think of the hand of God. He made sure that I made it for some reason,” he shared.
Cowell, now a father of two, feels deeply fortunate to have survived. After the dramatic rescue, his family moved away, and he lost touch with Ribeiro, whose brave act had made local newspaper headlines. But after 64 years, the two had an emotional reunion.
"I'm a little bit nervous. I’m a crybaby,” Ribeiro admitted just before reuniting with Cowell.
"Hello, hello, young man,” she warmly greeted him upon seeing him grown up. "It's nice to see you," Ben responded. The two exchanged a heartfelt embrace filled with gratitude and nostalgia.
"Thank you so much for going to look for me. I am glad it turned out the way it did,” Cowell expressed sincerely.
No one can fully explain what prompted Ribeiro’s lifesaving intuition, but her instincts undoubtedly granted Cowell a second chance at life and a profound story to cherish forever.
Representative depiction of Matusadona National Park
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One little note led to an even more impactful exchange of texts.