Two weeks ago a Michigan man acted quickly upon hearing of a choking baby, and used a turkey baster to save the child's life.
The man, Bill Hogenson, overheard the next-door-neighbor's babysitter calling 911 to report the baby was choking and turning purple. He raced over to perform CPR, but the baby, Nessa Shoup, was unresponsive.
Speaking with NBC News, Hogenson said, "So I went to the drawer and found a turkey baster and used the turkey baster to clear her nasal passage and her airway. Patted her on the back some more, then spun her around and got a good look at her. And she quit crying and she smiled at me. And I knew that we were going to be in the good."
According to the Mayo Clinic, learning to perform CPR is an essential facet of parenting, and clearly for babysitting as well. Choking is a common cause of injury or death to infants, largely because they have small pathways for breathing and eating that can very easily be blocked. Even though CPR didn't necessarily save Nessa Shoup's life in this instance, its importance shouldn't be overlooked.
Nessa's father, Shawn Gascoigne, said he and the baby's mother, Robin Shoup, are eternally grateful to Hogenson. They said that Nessa's throat has not fully developed yet, so she is prone to bouts of choking. "If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have this beautiful baby here right now and we are forever grateful."
Hogenson said he's no hero, though. He's just a parent whose instincts kicked in when he learned a child was in danger. He claims the five-month-old baby now smiles whenever she sees him. "Ever since then, when I see her she gives me a smile," he said. "It kind of gives us a bond for life."
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