There is nothing a mother wouldn’t do to keep her child safe.
You, I, we have seen it all. The sacrifices a mother is willing to make for her child’s sake. The love a mother has for her child is boundless and nobody or nothing could ever change that.
A mom wouldn’t mind losing any sleep as long her child is comfortably sleeping, and will still muster the energy to cook a delicious breakfast despite it. They are like modern-day superheroes, doing everything for their children without asking anything in return.
When it comes to a life-or-death situation, expect a mom to put her child’s life before hers.
That’s exactly what happened in this story, the outcome – both heartwrenching and heartbreaking.
Back in 2017, a young woman became the happiest mother alive.
Her name is Shelby Ann Carter from Wyoming, Illinois, and she was then just 21 years old when she gave birth to a lovely angel.
Shelby and her boyfriend were proud and overjoyed parents. When it came down to taking care of their baby, her motherly instincts naturally came out.
It was like she’d already been a mother her entire life.
Shelby’s daughter was her reason to live, and right at that moment, she promised to protect her and keep her safe at all costs.
When they were ready to live a happier life with their new bundle of joy, a tragic event happened at her mom’s house where Shelby lived together with her baby. The devastating incident happened on January 30, not long after their baby had been born.
A sudden fire ripped through their house.
It’s the day any mother fears, especially Shelby who was just starting her life as a mother.
The fire spread and crawled through the entirety of their house, blocking almost all possible exits. The rooms were quickly filled with smoke, and if they were lucky enough to get away from the fire, the smoke sure wouldn’t let them escape from danger.
Time was critical at that moment and Shelby knew she needed to act fast to save herself and her baby daughter.
The smoke started to suffocate them. Shelby, just like any mother would, tried to desperately save her child’s life.
When she realized there’s no way out, the quick-thinking and selfless mom immediately strapped her baby to her car seat.
In a breathtaking sacrifice, she dropped her baby from the 2nd-floor window and hoped she’d be safe on her landing.
Shelby was left inside, consumed by the thick smoke, and sadly passed away from that tragic incident.
The firefighters tried their best to save Shelby but it was just too late.
Although that’s the case, a ray of hope was left shimmering- Shelby’s baby survived, and it’s all thanks to her brave mom.
“The good news is, the baby got home and is doing great,” Stark County Sheriff Steve Sloan told the Peoria Journal Star a day after the fire.
The residents of Wyoming were heartbroken, both by Shelby’s passing and for the baby losing her mother. Soon, a fundraiser was put up and raised almost $40,000 in just a few weeks.
Shelby’s heroism showed everyone what a mother will do just to keep her children safe, even if that means putting her own life at risk.
She definitely didn’t die in vain, she was able to save her baby, and what she did will be forever remembered, not only by her family but by millions more who learned about her story.
Never doubt a mother’s love and instincts, they sure know what’s best.
“It’s just incredible that she was able to pull her thoughts together to save her baby… I’d say it’s nothing short of a miracle the way it ended up”, Chief of the Wyoming-Speer Fire Protection District Ed Foglesonger told The Washington Post.
Eventually, Shelby’s daughter will learn about what happened to her and we all know that it will break her heart into pieces. But we are also confident that she will get through it and will be able to live the life her mom risked everything for.
She will then realize how great and loving her mother was, she will realize how lucky she was to have Shelby as her mother.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
