Frantic squeals of a mother duck got 56-year-old's Mike Plumides attention enough for him to go help.
He spotted the distressed duck near a storm drain while driving and immediately pulled over to help. He quickly realized he would need assistance lifting the drain's giant iron gate to reach the stuck ducklings. Kathy Rowan was out for a walk in the area, when she came upon the situation unfolding.
Plumides flagged down another driver and together, the driver and Plumides were able to move the grate. Then Plumides lowered himself down, and Rowan took out her cell phone to capture the rescue on video.
When he got down there, he shared that he saw seven ducklings all huddled in the corner together. At first they were scared so they jumped out of his hands. Then he managed to grab all the baby ducks and set them near mom on the grass above the drain. It wasn't until the first three were out, the mother duck calmed down.
Plumides confessed it was harder to get himself out of the drain so by the time he resurfaced, the ducks were gone. He told People, "I didn't even get to say goodbye, but it made me happy. I cried after. I cried happy tears that I did something good and hopefully inspired others to do good."
Photo: Getty Images