Hero waitress is reunited with the baby whose life she saved

Nov 1 2012 by Jamie Bowman, Ormskirk Advertiser

A HEROIC waitress has had an emotional reunion with the baby boy whose life she saved.

Quick-thinking Amy Bresnahan, 25, of New Cut Lane, Halsall, came to the rescue of the desperate two-week-old tot who had stopped breathing while her parents were enjoying a meal in Amy’s restaurant.

But just days after performing life-saving CPR on the tiny baby – using just her fingers to press on the boy’s chest – Amy was able to cuddle little Finley after visiting him in Ormskirk Hospital last week.

Amy said: “It was such an emotional moment.

“When Finley’s mum handed him to me I just couldn’t stop kissing and cuddling him.”

Baby Finley, who was born two weeks premature, was visiting Southport with his parents David and Steph Vickers from Manchester when he was taken ill at the Bella Italia restaurant in Ocean Plaza.

Mother-of-two Amy said: “I had gone on a first aid course for babies five years ago when I was pregnant with my eldest daughter so I had an idea of what to do.

“I asked Finley’s dad for permission to perform CPR but there was still no response.

“It was the scariest experience of my life but instinct must have kicked in and I kept going.

“Eventually the baby took a breath, but he collapsed again and I started panicking but then he began breathing and I was just stroking his head, kissing him and saying ‘Come on baby’”.

After eight minutes, an ambulance arrived and Finley was rushed to Ormskirk Hospital where Amy was able to visit him last Friday.

“I spent about two hours with the family and to hold Finley for the first time since what happened was amazing.

“He had colour in his cheeks and was really happy.”

Amy has been enjoying her new found fame since the incident and hopes the experience will encourage others to learn more about baby and infant first aid.

She said: “Lots of people have been coming up to me in the supermarket after recognising me from the paper.

“My husband and I were out having dinner recently and a man came up to me and asked if I was the girl on the front of the newspaper.

“When I said I was, he shook my hand said well done and gave me £20.

“I simply couldn’t believe it!”