It began as an ordinary morning for Charmaine Keevy. She and her rescue dachshund, Georgie, were taking their routine morning walk in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Out of nowhere, Georgie began barking and pulling Charmaine over towards a concrete storm drain. It was obvious the dog was trying to tell her something, and thank goodness she listened.
At first, Charmaine thought Georgie picked up the scent of a cat stuck in the drain and thought she heard meowing down below. But the more she listened, the more she realized this was not the sound of a frightened cat — but rather the sound of a crying baby. However, there was a heavy concrete slab covering the top preventing her from seeing what it was.
Charmaine still wasn't 100% sure what was happening six feet down at the bottom of the drain, but sprung into action anyway. She waved down cars as they whizzed passed, begging for someone to stop and help her investigate. Every driver just ignored her — until 60-year-old Cornie Viljoen pulled over.
The two strangers got down on their hands and knees and stuck their heads as far into the drain as they could.
Neither one could have prepared themselves for what they were about to find.
Charmaine Keevy and her husband Casper were thrilled when they adopted a rescue dachshund named Georgie.
Charmaine is 63 years old and owns a catering company in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
One morning in April 2018, Charmaine and Georgie went out for their early morning walk. On this particular day they took a different route than usual.
Suddenly, Georgie began frantically barking and pulling toward a concrete storm drain off the side of the road. At first, Charmaine thought she heard the sound of a meowing cat coming from the drain down below.
Georgie refused to let up until Charmaine took a closer listen to the drain — and she was horrified to discover it was the sound of a wailing baby, not a cat.
Charmaine panicked. There was a heavy cement slab covering the opening and she knew she wasn't strong enough to remove it herself.
She began waving down cars as they drove past. No one stopped to help… until a 60-year-old stranger named Cornie Viljoen pulled over.
They both agreed they could hear a baby sobbing, but the drain was still covered so they couldn't see it. Cornie took a steel bar from his car and together he and Charmaine pushed aside the heavy slab covering the drain.
Then came the incredible act of heroism: Cornie jumped six feet down into the drain and quickly realized he was standing in a colony of angry, biting red ants. To make matters worse, the storm drain was so narrow he could only feel for the baby who laid screaming at the bottom of the hold.
Finally, Cornie felt the baby's leg. "I realized that this was a crime scene so I took a flash picture and handed my phone up to Charmaine."
The newborn baby was naked, her umbilical cord still attached.
Cornie pulled the baby to safety and handed her to Charmaine, who wrapped her in her jersey and called the authorities.
Medics arrived and treated the baby for hypothermia and respiratory problems.
Police say the only way the baby could have gotten into this horrific situation was if someone removed the cement cover and climbed deep inside to leave her there.
Charmaine posted to Facebook with an amazing update. She expressed her ultimate gratitude to Cornie, the only person who stopped to help her remove the heavy grate and ultimately save the newborn. She said this "miracle baby" was alive and snug in an incubator.
"I cannot help but feel that there is some sort of a plan and a purpose for that little girls' life — it is a miracle without a doubt."
