Tanveer Safdari didn't leave the side of Massoud Massoud until he was reunited with his son on Monday evening.
But just hours earlier, the pair had been involved in a road rage argument in Dandenong, in Melbourne's south-east.
As the pair exchanged words, Massoud's car was allegedly stolen by a third man with his two-year-old son Mohammed inside.
Massoud jumped into Safdari's car within seconds as they teamed up to follow the Kia Carnival before they lost sight of the vehicle.
"The car was gone. I said, 'Come to my car' and we followed the car together," Safdari said.
"It was important - my heart broke because it was a human being.
"I wanted to help."
The pair remained together until they got the good news Mohammed had been found.
He was found walking around at Ferntree Gully Woolworths by a member of the public, 16km from where the car was stolen.
The Kia was found dumped near Lilydale yesterday. Police will forensically examine the car before it can be returned.
Police arrested Kyle Bell, 24, around 2pm yesterday in Dandenong.
The Dandenong man has been charged with child stealing, theft of a motor vehicle, unlicensed driving and committing an indictable offence while on bail.
The court heard Bell was on bail at the time.He will remain in custody until he fronts court again next month.
Sign up here to receive our daily newsletters and breaking news alerts, sent straight to your inbox.
