'Thank you': Parents grateful to strangers who helped daughter lost in Orlando fireworks show panic

ORLANDO, Fla. - A Florida couple is grateful to complete strangers who helped their daughter after they became separated after crowds panicked and ran away during the Fourth of July fireworks show at Lake Eola in downtown Orlando.

"People just started screaming 'run, run, run!" said Beverly Watson-Polintan, who was at the event with her family and six-year-old daughter, Aria.

"As soon as the crowd stampeded us, Aria got separated, just from the crowd pushing. So within five seconds, we’re like, ‘where’s Aria?’" she said.

The annual fireworks show was supposed to start at 9:10 p.m but was delayed some 30 minutes due to equipment and staffing issues with the vendor, a spokesperson for the City of Orlando previously told FOX 35. Six minutes after the fireworks show started, something – possibly fireworks – apparently spooked some in the crowd who started running away, which sparked a chain reaction, causing hundreds to run, crouch down, hide behind walls, and climb over bushes.

Related: How to share videos from Lake Eola fireworks scare with Orlando police

Despite rumors that gunfire or a fight caused the panic, Orlando police have said that there is no evidence of a shooting or gunfire. Instead, they believed some sort of noise, perhaps other fireworks being lit nearby, may have been the cause.

Watch surveillance video of the mom police said the panic began.

Watson-Polintan said their family searched for 15 minutes to find Aria. Turns out, Aria walked up to some strangers to help.

When asked what she told the strangers, Aria said: "That I was lost. I told them how my mom and dad look, what their name was, and what their phone number was."

Aria said she remembered the safety tips firefighters once told her: "They said wait here, just in case my mom and dad come."

About a dozen people were briefly separated from their groups, officials said, and all were reunited that evening.

"There was a lot of confusion that night as people were seeking safety. At the end of the event, there were several people who had lost contact with their children." said assistant chief Craig Hulette. "We were able to reunite all of the parents with the children." 

Beverly is grateful. "Very grateful. It’s good that they had a location like that. It was 15 minutes; that doesn’t sound long, but when your child is missing, it feels forever," she said.

What was it about the good Samaritans that Aria felt comfortable asking them for help? "Cause they had a kid," Aria said, presumably knowing that they would probably care for her as they would their for their own child.

To the strangers to helped, Aria's mom had a message for them: "Thank you so much for taking care of my daughter and bringing her somewhere safe. It’s good to know there’s good people out there."

"Thanking you for helping me get to safety," Aria said.