Danny Trejo: from tough guy to hero — the story of saving a child
8 september 2025 в 13:13
Danny Trejo, best known for his tough guy roles, truly showed his heart in 2019 when he saved a little child trapped in an overturned SUV in Sylmar, Los Angeles. The incident occurred in August 2019, when Trejo and another quick-thinking bystander helped free the special needs child from the car seat. A young woman unbuckled him, and Trejo pulled the child to safety, keeping him calm by playing «superpowers» with him.
He told ABC 7: «[The boy] was panicked. I said, okay, we need to use our superpowers. And then he yelled 'superpowers', and we started yelling 'superpowers'. I said, do it with your muscles. He said 'muscles'». Trejo added: «Everything good that has happened to me has happened as a direct result of helping someone else. Everything».
This year, fans were scared when a fake memorial-style post claiming Trejo had died went viral — amplified when John Leguizamo reposted it. The actor, now 81, quickly took to Instagram to dispel the rumors, writing: «Thank you all for your concern, but I am alive and well. Someone is spreading fake news».
Learn more about the actor below.
While in a Mexican prison, Trejo’s life took an unexpected turn. During a riot on Cinco de Mayo, he was put in solitary confinement, where he maintained his sanity by performing scenes from «The Wizard of Oz» and «The Hunchback of Notre Dame». He often attributed his turnaround to prayer for help in changing his life, and after his charges were eventually dropped, he committed to sobriety from alcohol and heroin. Now celebrating nearly 60 years of sobriety, Trejo continued to work for 15 years as a drug counselor after his release, helping others change their lives just like he did.
If you are in Los Angeles, stop by one of Trejo’s Tacos, Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts, or Trejo’s Cantinas
He told ABC 7: «[The boy] was panicked. I said, okay, we need to use our superpowers. And then he yelled 'superpowers', and we started yelling 'superpowers'. I said, do it with your muscles. He said 'muscles'». Trejo added: «Everything good that has happened to me has happened as a direct result of helping someone else. Everything».
This year, fans were scared when a fake memorial-style post claiming Trejo had died went viral — amplified when John Leguizamo reposted it. The actor, now 81, quickly took to Instagram to dispel the rumors, writing: «Thank you all for your concern, but I am alive and well. Someone is spreading fake news».
Learn more about the actor below.
While in a Mexican prison, Trejo’s life took an unexpected turn. During a riot on Cinco de Mayo, he was put in solitary confinement, where he maintained his sanity by performing scenes from «The Wizard of Oz» and «The Hunchback of Notre Dame». He often attributed his turnaround to prayer for help in changing his life, and after his charges were eventually dropped, he committed to sobriety from alcohol and heroin. Now celebrating nearly 60 years of sobriety, Trejo continued to work for 15 years as a drug counselor after his release, helping others change their lives just like he did.
If you are in Los Angeles, stop by one of Trejo’s Tacos, Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts, or Trejo’s Cantinas
© Artemenko Olga
