Grocery Worker Saves Toddler Who Ran into Oncoming Traffic (Video)

A grocery store manager is being hailed as a hero after dramatic security footage captured him sprinting into a busy street and saving a 3-year-old girl from being struck by an oncoming minivan.

The heart-stopping incident happened around 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6, outside the Super King El Rey del Ahorro supermarket in Puebla, Mexico.

Video shows the little girl suddenly running out of the store after slipping free from her mother’s grip, according to Mexican news outlet Tribuna Noticias.

A woman immediately chased after the child, but slipped and fell before she could reach her.

That was when store manager Luis Cruz sprang into action.

Cruz can be seen racing after the toddler as she headed directly toward moving traffic. With a silver minivan rapidly approaching, Cruz caught up to the girl and lunged toward her, pulling her backward as both of them crashed onto the pavement.

The timing was incredibly close.

Moments later, the minivan passed through the lane the child appeared to be running toward before screeching to a stop in the middle of the roadway.

Car horns can be heard blaring as Cruz keeps hold of the girl, preventing her from running any farther into traffic.

The dramatic rescue quickly earned Cruz praise, and his employer reportedly rewarded him with 20,000 Mexican pesos, or roughly $1,184, for his actions.

Cruz reportedly said there was no time to think before he jumped into action. As a father himself, he said his parental instincts immediately took over when he saw the little girl in danger.

He also used the terrifying incident to urge other parents to keep a close eye on young children, particularly around busy streets and parking areas.

The remarkable footage has since highlighted just how quickly an ordinary afternoon could have turned into tragedy — and how one employee’s split-second decision may have saved a child’s life.

Fox News Digital said it contacted Super King El Rey del Ahorro for additional comment.