Any good parent wants to protect their kids when danger is afoot, but some are able to develop such an instinct for these situations that they can intervene after not even seeming like they were watching.
And while you’re more likely to see a parent have to stand up to uptight adults or navigate uncomfortable situations than a raging animal, it’s not as if those sudden freak occurrences never happen.
RELATED STORIES
Indeed, one case saw a dad show incredible heroism when his toddler suddenly found himself in the clutches of a rabid coyote . But even when the danger doesn’t come as far out of nowhere as it did in that scenario, that parenting instinct can still prevail.
And we can see that in how quickly one dad responded to his son’s ill-fated bull ride.
On February 13, a bull rider from Belton, Texas named Cody Hooks posted a clip of a ride that went bad very quickly.
According to Newsweek , he was competing at a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event after completing his rookie season in the bull riding big leagues last year.
And even before the tumble we see here, it was clear that the day’s ride wasn’t going to go well as the bull started to throw him off balance from the very beginning.
However, Hooks’ situation quickly went from unfortunate to perilous when the bull kept flailing and spinning near him.
By that point, Hooks was either stunned or unconscious and seemed unable to move.
And while several cowboys tried to distract the bull away from him, it didn’t show much interest in them and kept spinning before making its way back in Hooks’ direction.
But by that point, Hooks’ father Landis had already stepped out from the stands and covered his son’s body with his own.
So when the bull struck again, Landis was able to shield his son from its horns before it was finally subdued.
And it’s likely because of his intervention that both men were able to walk away from the incident with minor injuries, as reported by The New York Post .
Although Hooks isn’t normally keen to post his rides when they go this badly, he felt too grateful to those who protected him not to.
As he wrote in the description of the video you see here, “Not one to post falling off, but big thanks to my dad @hooks.landis and the bullfighters last night in Belton, Tx could’ve been a hella lot worse.”
And indeed, his followers agreed and hailed Landis as a hero for his actions.
As one of them put it, “A father willing to lay down his life for his son!”
We want to hear from YOU so we can serve you better. Complete this quick survey and you will be entered to win a grand prize of $2,000, or a chance to win one of 10 Diply prize-packs!
