Whether you think it was fate or just a fortunate accident, it was a good thing Earl Melchert forgot to bring along a gasoline can he needed at work that September day in 2017. He turned around and headed back to his farm in Alexandria, Minnesota. That’s when he saw what he first thought might be a deer moving toward his pickup.
The deer turned out to be a person and she appeared to be running for their life. She literally was. 15 year-old Jasmine Block had disappeared almost a month earlier — Earl recognized her from the missing person notices he’d seen around town. She was hysterical, obviously traumatized and terrified. She was also soaking wet.
Jasmine had been kidnapped by three men who physically and sexually abused her. They’d moved her to a foreclosed home by a lake, perhaps in the hope that this would make her nearly impossible to find. The men went out, perhaps to get lunch, leaving her by herself. That’s when Jasmine seized the opportunity to escape. She ran from the house as fast as the possibly could and then swam across the lake.
The kidnappers were out looking for her. In fact, moments after Earl helped her into his truck, their car went speeding by. Earl called the police and all three of the men were tracked down and arrested. The local police gave him the $7,500 reward but instead of keeping it, he gave the money to Jasmine! After all, he hadn’t really found her, he was just in the right place at the right time, all because of the forgotten gasoline can.
What do you think? Did fate cause Earl to forget the gasoline can or was it just a lucky coincidence? Let us know in the comments at Facebook. Don’t forget to like and share: it’s one way to pay tribute to Earl Melchert, a hero whether he thinks so or not.
