During a family vacation in Ocean City, Maryland, Josie Bowers, who was just fifteen at the time, found herself in a dangerous situation. While her family enjoyed the beach, she returned to their Hilton hotel room for a shower, thinking she was safe. However, a man tried to break in using a device under the door.

With no cellphone service inside, she couldn’t call for help. She managed to slam the door shut and use the deadbolt. The intruder persisted, claiming to be a service worker. Fearing for her safety, Josie remembered a trick her stepfather, a police officer, had taught her.

She cautiously opened the door slightly, hearing men outside, but she realized they weren’t Hilton staff. They were in casual clothes, not uniformed. In a quick decision, she shouted, “Hey dad, there’s somebody here to fix the door,” causing the would-be criminals to flee.

Josie’s quick thinking, instilled by her stepfather’s advice, saved her from a potentially dangerous situation during her family vacation.