Maëlys Saint-Denis, a volunteer assistant gendarme aged just 18, performed a heroic act when she rescued a 13-day-old infant from a choking situation. The young gendarme came to the rescue and performed the right gestures. This courageous gesture has been described as 'a Christmas miracle before its time'.
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On December 6, Maëlys Saint-Denis responded to an emergency call from the Gendarmerie operations center. It was a major emergency: a baby was choking. Without a moment's thought, the young gendarme, who had only been on the job for three weeks, immediately went to the scene with two colleagues. When she arrived, the mother, Zineb, was in shock, and the infant was unconscious on the living room table.
Maëlys, with her previous training as a volunteer firefighter, took charge of the situation. She saw that the baby was no longer breathing and, acting quickly, administered five slaps on the back. Thanks to these gestures, little Maïssa miraculously began breathing again. Maëlys told RTL:
When I entered the apartment, I saw the mother breaking down and the baby on the coffee table.
I took the baby in my arms. I saw that she was blue and not breathing. I turned her over and gave her five slaps on the back to clear the obstruction if necessary. By slapping her back, I probably unblocked something.
Little Maïssa was then taken to hospital in Grenoble, where her mother remained at her bedside.
The baby's mother spoke out
After Maëlys' rescue, the infant's mother was relieved and is happier than ever.
Today, Maïssa is doing great.
She also wanted to thank the young police officer in an interview with Le Parisien:
At 18, she had a lot of composure, a lot of courage. From the bottom of my heart, I thank her for saving my daughter.
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This article has been translated from Oh!MyMag FR.
Sources used:
RTL / Le Parisien
