‘We did a lot of praying’: Trooper, deputy reunite with baby they helped save

STANLY COUNTY, N.C. — A baby is back home with her family thanks to a state trooper and a Stanly County Sheriff’s deputy who jumped into action when the little girl went into cardiac arrest last month.

North Carolina Highway Patrol officer Michael McCormick and Deputy Darnell Almond both work nights. It’s not unusual for their paths to cross while on duty.

“I work nights, he works nights. I’ll pull up and chat with him for a few minutes,” said McCormick.

The two men were talking one night last month when Almond got a call to help someone in cardiac arrest in Badin.

“I actually was headed home when I saw him. We just got caught talking a little bit longer and, of course, the call came in at that point in time,” Almond said. “Once I said I’ve got to go, that’s just up the street, without a doubt he said, ‘I’ll go with you.’”

The men arrived at the home expecting to find an older person needing help.

“We heard a lady say it’s a 1-month-old,” McCormick said. “I just saw an infant sitting in the mother’s lap slumped over.”

Almond said McCormick quickly assessed the child’s condition.

“We couldn’t feel a pulse. There was no sign of life,” McCormick said. “About every 30 seconds it’d take a deep breath then go limp again.”

McCormick began CPR on the baby while Almond rubbed her hands and feet. Paramedics arrived within five minutes and rushed the baby to a hospital.

“We did a lot of praying. That’s about all we were doing,” McCormick said.

The baby, whose name is Ameliah, was diagnosed with a respiratory infection, which doctors determined sent her into cardiac arrest.

After nearly a month of treatment, Ameliah got to return home, and the two men who helped save her got to visit with her and hold her.

“This time of the year, that’s Christmas — to be able to see that baby be reunited with her family and be where she’s supposed to be and doing well,” Almond said.

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