OCALA, Fla. – A Marion County deputy driving home from his shift was in the right place at the right time Wednesday when he was flagged down by a woman whose 3-month-old son was unresponsive, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office.
Deputy Jeremie Nix spotted the mother and baby at Southeast Lake Weir Avenue and Southeast 17th Street around 5:30 p.m. The whole effort was captured on Nix's dash camera video. Watch the video at the bottom of this story.
The woman told Nix her son, Kingston, was unresponsive.
"You can tell he's completely lifeless," Nix said. "She just hands him to me and the first words out her mouth were 'Don't let my baby die.'"
Nix said he radioed for an ambulance and checked for the baby's pulse. He started compressions and Kingston took one breath, but it was faint.
"I just knew I couldn't wait any longer," Nix said. "I didn't have time. This baby didn't have time to wait on an ambulance."
Nix told the mom to follow him in his patrol car and held on to Kingston, driving with his siren on to Ocala Regional Medical Center.
Once Kingston was in the hands of medical staff, they rushed the infant into the trauma room. ORMC medical staff were able to stabilize Kingston, but he was transferred to UF Shands Children's Hospital for more specialized treatment.
Kingston is expected to make a full recovery.
"In my 17 years of doing this job, that was the most scary, emotional, and rewarding day ever," Nix said.
Nix stayed in contact with Kingston's mom and he and his wife drove to Gainesville to visit him in the hospital. In fact, they Facetimed on Thursday as Kingston was getting ready to be released from the hospital.
"I remember praying, thanking God for putting me in the right place at the right time for the right reason," Nix said.