Legendary NFL quarterback Joe Montana, 64, and his wife Jennifer heroically rescued their 9-month-old grandchild over the weekend from a kidnapper who broke into their Malibu, California home and snatched the baby.
Joe Montana Thwarts Attempted Kidnapping Of Grandchild
“Thank you to everyone who has reached out,” Montana tweeted to his fans on Sunday, one day after the attempted kidnapping. “Scary situation, but thankful that everybody is doing well. We appreciate respect for our privacy at this time.”
Thank you to everyone who has reached out. Scary situation, but thankful that everybody is doing well. We appreciate respect for our privacy at this time.
— Joseph Montana (@JoeMontana) September 27, 2020
CBS News reported that Joe Montana told police that his 9-month-old grandchild was napping in a playpen on Saturday when a woman broke into their Malibu residence.
The woman took the child out of the enclosure and was holding the baby in her arms.
The Hall of Fame quarterback and his wife ran in to confront the woman as soon as they realized what was happening. They tried to de-escalate the situation, and convince the stranger to give them back the baby.
The situation quickly deteriorated, according to police, and there was a tussle.
During the struggle, Joe Montana’s wife Jennifer was able to safely pry the baby out of the intruder’s arms. Then, the suspect ran out of the house.
Police in the area were flagged down by someone in the Montana household. The police found the woman after a quick search of the area.
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The woman, who was later identified as 39-year-old Sodsai Dalzell, has been arrested and charged with kidnapping and burglary.
She is being held at the Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood on $150,000 bail. Her first court date has been scheduled for Tuesday morning.
Thankfully, nobody was injured in this incident, including the baby. More details are in the “Good Morning America” video segment below.
Fans Praise Joe Montana’s Heroism
Fans have been praising Joe Montana for his heroism in saving his baby grandchild.
“”Goat on and off the field Joe. Thanks for everything you do,” one social media user wrote. The term “GOAT” stands for “greatest of all time.”
“Glad your family is safe! All the best to you and your family,” another user wrote, with a third adding, “Good job on the thwarting of the intruders plans glad you all are safe! Pretty scary stuff to even think about!”
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https://twitter.com/Klingenlaufer/status/1310296871919902720
Real Life Heroes
Per NPR, Montana is a Pro Football Hall of Famer who played 16 seasons in the NFL. Most of his career was spent with the San Francisco 49ers team.
Joe Montana’s wife, Jennifer, is a former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model who has become known as a philanthropist over the years.
We’re so glad to see that this story had a happy ending. Joe Montana truly is a legend both on and off the field!