How a family outing ended in a tense stand-off - as the identities of the mystery girls saved from a road rage attack by a 'tanned avenger' Muay Thai boxer are revealed

By CANDACE SUTTON, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 12:38, 5 August 2026 | Updated: 12:44, 5 August 2026 It's the road rage video that went viral after a Muay Thai boxer jumped in to save two girls from a possible violent attack.  But the real story behind the incident was how a family outing ended in a terrifying ordeal. Good Samaritan Ryan McDonald, 19, made national headlines when he posted a TikTok video of his actions after seeing a Mercedes van hit a hatchback and the van driver try to open the door of the car to confront the two terrified young women inside. Returning to Brisbane from a camping trip on Sunday afternoon, the Muay Thai champion leapt from his vehicle to intervene and confront the man trying to get into the girls' Hyundai. The potential attacker pulled his shirt off and challenged McDonald to a fight, as two people wearing sports medallions arrived at the scene on the Bruce Highway. The Daily Mail can exclusively reveal that as McDonald successfully fended off the road rage attacker and his female partner, the family of one of the girls turned up. Melody Scott and her son Billy Fletcher, still wearing their medals after competing in Sunday's Sunshine Coast Marathon Festival, can be seen in McDonald's video standing by the Hyundai, looking concerned. Inside the car were Lilli Fletcher, Melody's daughter and the sister of Billy, and his girlfriend Felicity Plate, who was behind the wheel. Ms Scott has since posted on Facebook that 'protecting my family first' was utmost on her mind, while joking that the medals might 'have made a good weapon' against the assailants. Still wearing their marathon medals, Melody Scott and son Billy at the scene where her daughter and Billy's girlfriend were caught up in a road rage incident The Mercedes van rammed into the Hyundai with Lilli Fletcher and Felicity Plate inside Melody Scott and her son Billy Fletcher (pictured after competing in a different event) were on their way home from competing at the Sunshine Coast Marathon Festival The Daily Mail has reached out to Melody Scott for comment about the ordeal.  Mr McDonald, who gave the Daily Mail a blow-by-blow account of the incident, said that he was happy to leave once he was assured that the girls were safe. In the video, he can be seen giving them a broad smile and a thumbs up, his deeply bronzed face and distinctive bleached white hairstyle inviting many comments. Dubbed by admiring TikTok viewers as 'the tanned avenger' and 'live action Johnny Bravo', he fights in Muay Thai under the moniker 'Ryan The Sun King McDonald'. Mr McDonald revealed he has since had a further encounter online with the Mercedes van couple, which he described as bizarre. He has also received warm messages and thanks from the girls he rescued via Ms Scott and her son. The dramatic day for everyone involved began when Ms Scott, her daughter Lilli, son Billy and his girlfriend Felicity travelled south to attend the Sunshine Coast Marathon Festival at Alexandra Headland, 100km north of Brisbane. The festivities included a marathon, half marathon and shorter distance events. A seasoned ultra-runner and triathlete, Ms Scott was awarded a medal with a yellow ribbon, while son Billy won a white-ribboned medal. The pair were travelling in a separate vehicle from Lilli and Felicity on the Bruce Highway near the Landsborough exit 35km south of the Sunshine Coast at about 2.30pm on Sunday when the incident unfolded. Good Samaritan Ryan McDonald gave the Daily Mail a blow-by-blow account of the incident Melody Scott and her son Billy Fletcher were pictured at the scene as a man who tried to confront Billy's sister and girlfriend takes his shirt during a stand-off with Muay Thai boxer Ryan McDonald Melody Scott, with her son Billy, posted on Facebook that 'protecting my family first' was at the  forefront on her mind during the incident Mr McDonald had been driving back from a camping weekend when he saw a battered white van - a 2005 Mercedes-Benz Vito - 'deliberately ram' the Hyundai, which 'had no choice but to stop'. He said the van driver 'wasn't ready to merge and the girls gave him the finger'. 'That set him off, he couldn't stand it,' he said. 'My first thought was it was a crash but then I figured it out.' After seeing the man march up to the driver's door and try to pull it open, Mr McDonald told him to get back into his car, which the man complied with after swearing abuse. But he said that triggered the man's partner to join the fray, and the man returned. 'He takes his shirt off, in his mind, to make himself look tougher,' Mr McDonald recalled. 'I took my hoodie off so it wouldn't get pulled over my head. I didn't want to get pulled into traffic. 'And he walks off. The missus throws a beanie in my face and I'm telling them to just get off the highway, they're stopping traffic.' The gratitude Mr McDonald has received from Ms Scott and her family had been boosted by messages from other marathon competitors travelling on the same road that afternoon.  The man tried to open the driver's door of the Hyundai in which two young women, Lilli Fletcher and Felicity Plate were sitting in terror after their car was rammed by the man's Mercedes van Ryan McDonald  was relieved the girls were safe and has since been in touch with their families Melody Scott told friends on Facebook that protecting her family was forefront in her mind as the highway incident unfolded Mr McDonald has also received a message from the van driver's partner after posting the video 'How silly are you for posting this snip talking down to my partner. The humiliation is not needed. He is medically insane,' she wrote. Mr McDonald has since alleged that the man who rammed the girls' car was a known offender who had offended against women and previously had spent time in jail.   He also revealed he had 'a lot of girls in my DMs' but had no time now for anything other than training for his next big Muay Thai fight. With a record of six wins including four knockouts from eight fights, he has made waves in the sport and hopes to compete in Thailand's elite Rajadamnern World Series (RWS) event. He will be a featured fighter at the Infliction Fight Series event at Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast on September 5.