2-Year-Old Noah Joel Rides Toy Bike 3 Miles To See Sick Grandmother In Hamelin, Germany

A tenacious toddler from Hamelin (Hameln), Germany gave his mother a terrific shock when he bicycled across town by himself to visit his sick grandmother, the Daily Express reports.

Two-year-old Noah Joel's mother thought he was playing in his room when the tiny toddler gave her the slip.

"He is a very determined, confident little boy. He was worried about his grandmother and wanted to do something about it," a family friend told the German Herald.

So, with his backpack filled with his favorite candy, Noah hopped on his toy bicycle and set off to see his ailing granny who is in the hospital.

According to a press release by local police, the little guy's solo journey did not go totally unnoticed. Police said they received several concerned calls claiming that a seemingly lost toddler had been seen criss-crossing the same road several times.

Noah's frantic mother, having discovered his mysterious disappearance, had also called the police in search of her son.

Police finally intercepted the boy, but not before the tiny tot had covered three miles on his little bike, the German Herald reports.

"He didn't really know the way to the hospital. But he blamed that on his bike for not being fitted with SAT NAV," said a police spokesperson, referring to Satellite Navigation.

When police caught up with him, they saw that Noah didn't even have shoes on, the Daily Express reports.

From our partners

• 8 Pets Working Out - www.yourtango.com
• 8 Adorable Pets Playing In The Snow - www.yourtango.com
• 8 Animals That Love Opening Up Christmas Gifts - www.yourtango.com

Comments

[Jamie Zupo]

10:57 PM on 05/09/2012

Always the haters.

Think about it -- every family that has a story like this, is it *every* child? Or is that one child who snuck out? That single natural ninja? Be s/he the first, last, or middle, it is very rarely EVERY child, in a single family, that defies every attempt reasonable supervision.

Doesn't that tell you that it's more about the child, and less about the parent?

[gorney]

10:28 PM on 05/08/2012

I would like to see the announcer naked.

[Mamad0525]

11:01 AM on 05/08/2012

Everything from Russia is always bada**......even the toddlers.

[Michelle Petit]

02:23 AM on 05/08/2012

Aw! That actually brought a tear to my eye! What a compassionate (and determined!) child! I'm glad he remained safe. I don't care where you live, a child on this kind of trike is HARD to see when you're driving! "It didn't have SAT NAV [GPS]" how cute!

[mmmheaven]

09:32 AM on 05/07/2012

LOL this story is too funny.
if this was my son, i would rejoice that he was found and made it home safely despite the world we live in. Then i would proceed to give him a a big ol' fashion whoopen.

[mallenrohslvr]

02:49 PM on 05/04/2012

omg that is too cute. . . he's lucky he wasn't hurt or nabbed though. . . kids are miniature houdinis. . . my brother was always giving my mom the slip when we were little, she blames most of her grey hairs on him

[adamben]

05:05 PM on 05/03/2012

thank god the piper didn't find him!

[Natalie Bennett]

11:42 PM on 05/02/2012

What a delightful story!

What is it - do americans just delight in the fact that they live in a totally malicious society or what?? You can practically hear people salivating in the comments at the notion that the mother would locked up by the state, and the kid either confiscated by child protective services or kidnapped some pervert!!! I think a better response is to be sad that this story probably wouldn't have the same happy ending if it took place in the US.

[ninjacb]

03:43 PM on 05/03/2012

i think your post a bit simplistic. the world, at large, is a dangerous place for adults much less a small boy on a plastic trike cruising around a city. come on. it has nothing to do with the u.s. being worse or better than anywhere else. it is a matter of parental supervision. i mean surely you can recall the woman camping in australia that lost her child to a dingo. imagine how safe she must have felt - the child there in the bosom of his family, in a camp ground. what could possibly have gone wrong??????

[Michelle Petit]

02:26 AM on 05/08/2012

I have to agree somewhat with you, and disagree with Ninjacb. Isn't there a saying about god protecting fools and children? There's a reason for that: children, at least, are innocent! All they know is they want this (whatever "this" is). They are not hampered by adult fears (or, usually, adult cruelty, for that matter). The fact that he wanted to do something for SOMEONE ELSE, even if that person is family, is particularly commendable. Most toddlers I know or have ever known just aren't that selfless, regardless of their degree of innocence.

[Jerilyn Jund]

10:58 PM on 05/02/2012

Awww, that's adorable. What a great kid! Mom, Watch your son a bit better!

[Michelle Petit]

02:27 AM on 05/08/2012

Children that age can be pretty sneaky without even trying. It's not a matter of watching your kid better, but about the child's own determination. I assure you, if he had been told not to do this, or had been caught in daylight, eventually he would have figured out going at night was the solution to the problem, or while mom is in the bathroom, or whatever.

[blodisnut]

07:50 PM on 05/02/2012

This is great. Now I feel even more lazy than us Americans are known for.

Granted my grammies are only memories, but I have a hard time driving across town to get groceries, let alone bike it.

Glad he was OK, this could have been pretty bad. If he were here in the US, he probably would have been nabbed, or even worse, passed a Catholic Church, where the priest would have "taught him about Jesus" or whatever they call it....

[Rubberfish]

07:39 PM on 05/02/2012

I did a similar number when I was 4 years old, also living in Germany. I wanted to buy some ice cream, so I went to the village store on my tricycle to get one. Never mind that I didn't bring any money. My Dad came and picked me up a phone call later. ;-)

[Graydonpow]

07:15 PM on 05/02/2012

Sounds like his mommy kept reading him "Little Red Riding Hood" a few too many times and he got ideas.

[aychrist]

06:25 PM on 05/02/2012

Oh my god, how great is it that he blamed being lost on not having a GPS? That's so adorable!

[LeftoftheLeft]

11:06 AM on 05/03/2012

Yet still forgot to put shoes on. :=D

[tarynupmyh3art]

06:10 PM on 05/02/2012

Even though this is was probably really scare of the mom...it's also kinda sweet. It's nice the little boy cares that much about his granny!

[secondcoming]

06:05 PM on 05/02/2012

come on, he wouldn't have been able to use the navigation system if it had bit him on the butt!!!

[Rubberfish]

07:34 PM on 05/02/2012

You don't know that. Kids these days know about technology before they can read or write. Ever seen a little kid with a remote?

[Jerilyn Jund]

11:00 PM on 05/02/2012

Don't be so sure, there weren't even training wheels on his little bike.

[LicoriceLobster]

07:05 AM on 05/03/2012

Because it's a tricycle.