Superpedestrian Superheroes Help Family Escape Baltimore Flood

Erica Starr, John Grove and their two children, Caleb, 6, and Sawyer, 1, were driving home on Saturday with party supplies to celebrate Caleb’s birthday when they were caught in severe weather that resulted in major flooding in Baltimore County.

Within minutes, inches of standing water turned into feet, and Erica and her family were stranded. “The water rose so fast, and then the engine stalled,” said Erica.

With water pouring in through the car’s doors, the family desperately tried to get their children to safety. Erica began climbing out with her baby, while John was helping Caleb out of a window. Then, they saw a stranger — William “Willie” Randolph — racing toward them through waist-deep water to help.

Willie was working at his new job as an Operations Assistant for Superpedestrian — the e-scooter company that just introduced 1,000 of its yellow LINK scooters to Baltimore — when he saw the scene unfolding from the company’s operations center.

Willie reached out his arms as John rolled down his window to hand Caleb to the kind stranger. Willie’s Superpedestrian colleague, Cesar Cabrera, rushed out to help as well. Peter Fedorkowicz, Launch Manager, watched the scene unfold. “Lightning was all around, yet they went in the water anyway. While our trash dumpster was floating by, I saw lightning strikes sparking right on the other side of the road, right near the car.”

Willie and Cesar then helped the family wade through 100 yards of waist-deep water to safety at the LINK scooter operations center. As John waded back to the car to retrieve the diaper bag and other valuables, Cesar and several other Superpedestrian staff provided dry clothes, food, water and consolation for the family until emergency personnel arrived.

“It was an all hands on deck moment. I am so proud of this team. I am an Army veteran and I don’t think I have ever seen a team act so selflessly, so decisively, as one, to respond to a life or death situation.” said Peter Fedorkowicz.

Caleb, 6, said, “You are all heroes!” Superpedestrian staffers replied, “We are not heroes. Your father is!”

“We don’t know what we would have done without their help. The water was so high. It could have been a sad story, but it wasn’t, thanks to Superpedestrian,” said Erica.

Several Superpedestrian staff responded to help the family:

Pete Fedorkowicz — Launch Manager

Cesar Cabrera — Travel Launch Technician

Victor Ojo — Operations Manager

Matthew Jacobs — Operations Supervisor

Brandon Sample — Scooter Technician I

David Shackleford — Scooter Technician I

Willie Randolph — Operations Assistant

Malcolm Stevens — Operations Assistant

Aaron Brown — Lead Operations Assistant