Hall of Fame baseball player Cal Ripken Jr.’s mother, Violet Ripken, recently taught her son and the world a lesson in perseverance, and in physical and emotional strength.

Violet Ripken taught this lesson when she recently fended off an armed carjacker. A man armed with a handgun approached Mrs. Ripken on Tuesday (October 15, 2013) and demanded her car while she was in a bank parking lot in Aberdeen, Maryland. Mrs. Ripken pressed the panic button on her key ring, which set off the car alarm and scared the suspect away. Thanks to a nearby ATM video, the police got a picture of the man and tracked him down two hours later.

Mrs. Ripken was not harmed in the incident and maintained her composure throughout the ordeal. Astonishingly, this was not the first time Mrs. Ripken has dealt with someone threatening her at gunpoint.

On the morning of July 24, 2012, Mrs. Ripken was abducted at gunpoint from her home by an unknown suspect. Her disappearance resulted in national media attention and a massive police manhunt. Mrs. Ripken, who was 74-years old at the time of the abduction, was held captive for 24 hours before she was found in the backseat of her car near her home. Unfortunately, no arrests were made for this incident.

It is unbelievable that this woman, who happens to be a senior citizen, was able to survive two separate incidents where her life was being threatened at gunpoint. She is simply amazing. Before these two incidents, Mrs. Ripken was best known to the world as the mother of two major league baseball players (Cal Ripken, Jr. and Billy Ripken). But now she is known as a hero and a survivor.

Although Mrs. Ripken’s son, Cal Ripken, Jr., holds the record for most consecutive games played in the history of baseball (2,632), and has earned the nickname Iron Man, it is Violet Ripken who should be known as the Iron Mom.

By Eric J. Einhart, Esq. – Guest Blogger