“It was clear she was in distress.”
Last week, Lisa Plassman was helping outside during school dismissal at Westminster Preschool in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, when an unusual and worried “parent” approached her.
Plassman, the preschool director, is used to speaking with parents at the end of the school day. But this time, the concerned visitor was a mother duck — and she clearly wanted Plassman’s attention.
The duck kept walking up behind her, then waddling away, then coming back again. Her behavior seemed too intentional to ignore. Plassman quickly realized the duck was upset and might be trying to lead her somewhere.
When Plassman paid closer attention, she noticed the duck was moving back and forth between her and a nearby storm drain. Curious and concerned, Plassman walked over to the drain and listened.
That’s when she heard tiny chirping sounds coming from below.
When she looked down, she saw 12 little ducklings trapped at the bottom of the drain. The babies had fallen through the metal grate and were stuck about a dozen feet below the surface.
Plassman called local first responders for help, but they were already handling another emergency and would need some time to arrive. Because the drain was near a neighborhood road, Plassman worried that something could happen to the mother duck while they waited.
So the preschool staff decided to act.
Teachers gathered around, all equally concerned for the duck family. They knew the ducklings needed help and didn’t want to leave them trapped. Together, they lifted the heavy drain cover.
As the school director, Plassman decided she would climb down the ladder into the drain herself. One teacher grabbed a bucket and gloves, and Plassman carefully made her way down. She was nervous, mostly hoping she wouldn’t find spiders in the dark hole, but she stayed focused on the ducklings.
At the bottom, the babies tried to scatter, but Plassman gently guided them into the bucket one by one. She made sure every single duckling was coming out.
Once all 12 were safely collected, the team replaced the drain cover and carried the ducklings to a grassy neighbor’s yard nearby. Then they gently called the mother duck over and released the babies from the bucket.
The moment they were free, the ducklings ran straight to their mom.
The teachers watched emotionally as the family reunited. For them, the moment felt especially meaningful. As educators who spend their days caring for young children, they understood how powerful a mother’s love can be — even in animals.
After the rescue, the team alerted neighbors so they could keep an eye on the duck family. Plassman also ordered a mesh cover for the drain to prevent more ducklings from falling through in the future.
What started as a normal school dismissal turned into a heartfelt rescue. Thanks to a determined mother duck and a group of caring preschool teachers, all 12 ducklings were safely reunited with their mom.