Chicago Crossing Guard Carries Kids Over Flooded Street

When Joe Sass arrived at Jamieson Elementary School on Chicago's North Side one frigid morning, he found the street transformed into an icy river. A 100-year-old water main had burst overnight, flooding the road where children needed to cross safely.

Sass didn't call for backup or wait for the city to fix it. He started picking up kids one by one and carrying them across the water, making sure each child arrived at school warm and dry.

"It's not in the job description," Sass told WGN News afterward. "But I'll do just about anything for these kids."

A news helicopter passing overhead captured the moment from above. The footage shows Sass wading through the flooded street again and again, a child in his arms each time, while parents watched from the sidewalk.

The scene might seem small in the grand scheme of daily news. But it perfectly captures what happens when someone decides that doing the right thing matters more than doing only what's required.

Sunny's Take

Sass has been a crossing guard at Jamieson Elementary for years, greeting the same families every morning. Those relationships built over time meant he knew exactly what to do when an unexpected crisis hit.

The parents who watched him that morning weren't surprised by his actions. They'd seen him show up in snow, rain, and bitter Chicago cold to make sure their kids crossed safely.

What made the moment special wasn't just one man helping children across a flooded street. It was watching someone live out the values we all hope to see in people who care for our kids.

The water main got fixed later that day. But the image of Sass carrying children to safety stuck with everyone who saw it, a simple reminder that caring for others sometimes means getting your feet wet.