A parent’s instincts are more powerful than any force in the world. And when it comes to protecting their child, parents can go to any extent, no matter the sacrifices they have to make for it. For 38-year-old Jordan Stannard, the instinct kicked in at the right moment. Jordan was able to save his daughter, but it came with a big sacrifice. What started as an ordinary grocery run with his family in Venice, Los Angeles, turned into a nightmare in just a few seconds. According to ABC7, as Jordan was buckling his two-year-old daughter, Sadie, into the car seat, an out-of-control pickup truck suddenly came hurtling toward them.
29 Jun 2026 | 15:40
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There wasn’t enough time to run. There wasn’t enough time to think. But for Jordan, there was more than enough time to save his daughter, even if it meant making a big sacrifice. Without hesitation, Jordan threw little Sadie into the safety of the vehicle. A split second later, the truck slammed into him with devastating force. The impact crushed his left leg severely.
This father lost a leg saving his 2-year-old daughter; says it’s a “trade I’d make any day” (Photo: ABC 7)
Jordan still remembers seeing the truck racing toward them. “I literally just threw her into the car,” he recalled while speaking about the terrifying incident. “I remember the truck fully hitting my body and twisting me around.” His fatherly instinct saved his daughter’s life. Describing the condition of his foot after the impact, he said it looked as though he had “stepped on a bomb.” “It looked like I had stepped on a grenade,” he recalled. Doctors worked tirelessly to save his leg, but the damage was beyond repair. Eventually, they had to amputate below the knee to prevent further complications. Jordan’s life changed after the horrific incident. He is now learning to walk again. To many this would look like an unimaginable tragedy, but for Jordan, the only thought that mattered was that his daughter had survived. “If you told me, ‘You just have to trade your foot to be with your daughters for the rest of your life,’ that’s a trade that I would make all day long,” he said.Before the accident, Jordan loved staying active. He had completed marathons and enjoyed spending hours outdoors with his family. Now, his daily routine looks very different. He faces months of rehabilitation, physical therapy, and learning to live with a prosthetic limb. Yet he remains remarkably optimistic and grateful. He thanks his family and friends for the support they have given towards him. “I think the lesson that this has taught me is just how important it is to have friends and family that are going to support you when things are really tough,” Stannard said.Against all the odds, the father says he can’t even bear to imagine what might have happened had he reacted a second later. “The thing I am most thankful for is that she is okay,” he shared. “I can’t even begin the thought of what could have happened to her.”Jordan’s story is a powerful reminder of the instinctive love that defines parenthood. Today, as Jordan begins the long road to recovery and works toward his dream of running another marathon, he says he has no regrets.
