On a sweltering August afternoon in Nebraska, Edgar Estrada emerged as an unlikely hero, using his quick thinking and intuition to rescue a baby trapped in a dangerously hot car.

Estrada, a talented roper from Bertrand, Nebraska, was gearing up for the second round of a roping competition at the Merrick County Fairgrounds when he heard faint cries. Initially assuming they were from goats, he felt an instinctive urge to investigate.

Mounted on his reliable horse, FJ, Estrada traced the sound to a parking lot, where he discovered a troubling scene: a baby locked inside a car with only a small gap in the window.

“I just reacted,” Estrada recalled. With a knife in hand, he pried the window open, reached in, and unlocked the door. The baby was suffering from the intense heat, with Estrada describing the child as “melting.” He quickly moved the baby to a cooler, air-conditioned area and called for medical assistance.

The baby, now thriving in a foster home, owes its survival to Estrada’s sharp instincts and decisive actions. Despite his courage, Estrada humbly downplayed his role, saying, “I’m no hero. I just used common sense that day.”

He added, “Just trust your gut and listen to your instincts.”

Estrada’s bravery was duly recognized when he was honored as part of the Heroes Game, a tradition that celebrates remarkable individuals during the Nebraska-Iowa football game. His name will be engraved on the Heroes Game trophy, and he will be honored on the field at halftime.