Hardware Store Dismisses Employee For Rescuing Child From Abductor–He's Being Called A Hero

Aug 28, 2020 by apost team

Dillon Reagan, then 32, said he was fired from Home Depot after trying to save a child from a possible kidnapping in 2017.

Dillon Reagan was the definition of a reliable employee. He worked at the same Home Depot for four years. Over time, he became well-recognized by his neighbors and seen a pillar of the local home improvement community in Portland.

In 2017, when this story takes place, Dillon worked in the tool rental department as a shift associate, KGW News reported. His normal day of helping customers and caring for equipment was brutally interrupted by a scream from across the store.

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The cry that Dillon heard was one that terrifies adults everywhere: "Somebody help me, please! He’s stealing my kid, he’s kidnapping my child!"

The woman's voice cut through the ambient sound of customers chatting and bounced off the warehouse floor. Because he had such love for the customers who came through his store, Dillon didn't think twice. He dropped what he was doing, pulled out his cellphone, and rushed to the scene of the crime.

Dillon was just a citizen, so he didn't exactly know what to do when a kidnapping situation occurred. Luckily, he was on the phone with the police, and he knew that they would be able to help the child.

According to NBC, unfortunately, the police were at least ten minutes away and would not be able to apprehend the suspect before he managed to get away with the child. The police dispatcher suggested that Dillon ought to tail the kidnapper on foot so that someone knew where the kid was.

Putting his own life at risk, Dillon obeyed the dispatcher and began to follow the kidnapper. The criminal went down a winding path through the neighborhood as he attempted to avoid the determined young man. But no matter how many times he turned corners and ducked behind buildings, Dillon was always right behind him.

After what seemed like an unbearably long time, the police arrived on the scene, and Dillon's coworkers pointed them in the right direction. They finally caught up with an exhausted Dillon and, after a slight scuffle, managed to detain the suspect.

The scene at Home Depot must have been quite a spectacle as Dillon and the child returned to the store. The kid needed to be comforted, and Dillon wanted to make sure he was back with his family as quickly as possible.

The police might have applied the handcuffs, but it was Dillon's actions that saved the day. And when he saw the mother hug her child, he knew that putting his life at risk had definitely been worth it.

Unfortunately, this heroic story doesn't have a happy ending. That's because Dillon's manager wasn't the least bit happy with the shift associate's actions while on the job. When Dillon took off running, he abandoned his duties.

For reasons that are still unclear to the public, Dillon was immediately terminated from his position. When the media became aware that Dillon had lost his job, they once again asked Home Depot to reconsider. The company apologized, but the local hero was not interested in working for them. Instead, he looked for an employer who better aligned with his personal values.

According to The Oregonian, after initial news reports of Reagan's firing, the home-improvement chain offered to re-hire him, but he refused the offer.

Home Depot released a statement to KGW after offering to re-hire Reagan: "We took a second look at this and have let Mr. Reagan know that we've decided to reverse our decision, based on the circumstances. We always do our diligence to make sure associates are treated fairly, which we've done in this case." Reagan later changed his mind and agreed to Home Depot's offer to restore his job with back-pay.

Overall, Dillon's actions were heroic and selfless, and Home Depot's reaction is incredibly surprising. The world could use more people like Dillon who are willing to put themselves at risk when the system is not able to respond in time. Would you have rushed off to save the child? Or do you think you understand the manager's point of view? Tell us all about it, and don't forget to post this story for all of your friends.