Banker put work on hold to catch ducklings jump off office roof — then he did something even more incredible

They say you can judge a man's true character by the way he treats animals. Someone who can stand up for those who can't defend themselves reveals how empathetic they are. A prime example of one such individual is Joel Armstrong, a man who became an absolute internet sensation after his video of rescuing ducklings from a ledge went viral.

Armstrong, a (then) 43-year-old banker from Washington, saw a mother duck nested on a ledge outside his office window, giving birth, and immediately realized it could be dangerous if the ducklings jumped from that height to get onto the ground. As the mother duck left to fetch water, her babies couldn't follow her, and they kept pacing back and forth on the ledge about 15 to 20 feet up. Armstrong, a father of two, immediately rushed downstairs to the sidewalk to help the little family. Surprisingly, as the banker stood there catching the little ducklings, their mother waited at his feet. At one point, he had to climb up a ladder to help the last three ducklings get down the ledge to join their mom. By the time Armstrong was done, catching every duckling as they leapt into his hands, a crowd had gathered who showered him with love for helping the mother duck and her adorable ducklings. He not only rescued the ducklings but also helped the mother duck lead the babies to the water. "We did it. That was an ordeal. I can't believe we did it! Wow," Armstrong exclaimed as he saw the mom duck and her babies get into the water safely. 

According to CGTN, a day after ducklings are born, they abandon their nest to join their mother in the water. One by one, they jump from their nest, built over a substantial height above the ground. Now, leaving their nest is the very first step the babies take in search of food. But what if they don't leave the nests? Well, if they stay in the nest for longer, they would not only have a much higher risk of starving to death but would also be exposed to predators. It’s remarkable that Armstrong, the banker, whose only knowledge about ducks came from Google, could carry out such a profound act of kindness. Meanwhile, reacting to his story, @kathleenmckenna8092 commented, "I was just looking at videos of ducks being saved and came across this one. I know it's old, but this one is a keeper. That was some really great catching there. Some people really have good hearts. Mr. Banker, that's a wonderful memory you have. I hope life's been good to you since then." 

@jillhammer4856 said, "WAY TO GO JOEL — I do not care if you are a banker, a corporate executive, or a homeless bystander. You did the right thing. It is time we show the goodness from all and give the person a thank you for showing others that no matter the age of life, you can help and show compassion. I hope this act of kindness gets noticed, and the next person seeing it realizes, 'Hey, I can help here, or I can help there,' and pass it forward." @doglover0717 commented, "Joel, you are my HERO! I know you are loved more than you think because all of us who watched, even the ones who didn't post, we all love you, sweet, kind man! God bless you!

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