It happened three and a half decades ago, but both of them still think of it often. Now, a paramedic who saved the life of a little girl in 1981 has been reunited with her—and it was an emotional meeting. Over the 35 years that have passed, he has never stopped thinking about her.
It was in Tucson, Arizona in 1981 as medic Denny Welsh was flying a helicopter when he saw an SUV crash on the road below. He witnessed something fly through the windshield and hoped and prayed it was anything in the world but a baby.
Denny landed the helicopter next to the accident and got out with his medical kit. The object that he saw fly out of the car turned out to be a car seat. And in that seat was an 18-month-old girl. Her name was Misty Heard and she was not breathing.
Inside the car were Misty’s mother and older brother. “Holy God, help me do something. We have to get through this,” thought Denny.
Misty’s mother, Cindy Backer, told KVOA News 4 that her little girl had actually died, but Denny arrived immediately and managed to revive her.
Another paramedic, Terry Johnson, had just come off of his night shift and arrived after hearing about the terrible accident. Together, he and Denny Welsh worked heroically to help the family.
Misty’s mother and four-year-old brother had only received minor injuries, so they were supposed to go to the hospital by ambulance.
“I still can remember Denny saying ‘No, this mama is going with her babies,’” Johnson told News 4.
So they took all three in the helicopter, where Denny once again revived Misty.
This was in 1981 and now, 35 years later, Misty still has Denny to thank for her life. The two recently reunited and Misty thanked Denny for saving her.
“I knew that he revived me in the helicopter, but I didn’t know how bad I really was until today. He’s just amazing and I can’t believe I’m even here,” Misty said to News 4.
Both Denny and Terry have daughters the same age as Misty Heard, and the incredible rescue affected both men deeply. They remember every detail till today.
“It was just a miracle that we happened to be there at the right place at the right time,” Denny Welsh said to News 4.
And there was another miracle, too—when Misty was little, doctors told her she could never have children because of her injuries. But now she has her own little boy!
Watch the whole heartwarming, emotional reunion here:
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