Three children are safe after they were kidnapped by a car crash victim that their father pulled over to help.
"I stopped to help and I almost lost everything," the man, identified only by his first name Bryon, told TODAY affiliate Action News 5. "We have to stay closer, because everything can be gone in the blink of an eye.
Byron is the father of three young children: Olivia, 6, Chloe, 4, and Brandon, 2. On Sept. 2, he and the children were in their brown Toyota Avalon in Memphis, Tenn.
Byron said he stopped the car when he saw a car accident between a white Kia and a blue pick-up truck. The Memphis Police Department said on Twitter that the driver of the Kia had a gash on his forehead and confirmed to Action News 5 that the vehicle had been stolen prior to the accident.
Witnesses at the scene told Action News 5 that the injured Kia driver was asking for a ride to leave the accident scene. However, none felt comfortable obliging to the request.
Moments later, the unidentified Kia driver climbed into Bryon's vehicle and drove away, with his children still inside, Action News 5 said.
"I got carjacked. I stopped to help, and I got carjacked,” Bryon said.
Derick Taylor, another witness at the scene, told Action News 5 offered Bryon a ride to try to follow the man as he fled.
Shortly after leaving the scene of the accident, the man stopped the vehicle and let out all three children, police said. Byron was quickly reunited with them. All three were unharmed, according to police.
"It could have been much worse. I’m just glad I got my babies," Byron said.
The relieved father told Action News 5 that the ordeal won't keep him from trying to lend a helping hand in the future.
“You can’t help your heart. If your heart tells you to help somebody, you're going to help somebody," he said. "God had me. So, I’ll leave it at that.”
The driver of the blue pick-up truck told Action News 5 he has no "significant injuries" from the crash.
Police said that the suspect is still at large, but emphasized that the case is not related to the abduction of Eliza Fletcher, a mother who was kidnapped while near the University of Memphis early Friday morning.
On social media, Memphis police said that Fletcher was forced into a dark SUV. Her phone and water bottle were found nearby.
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