You’re ma hero
Mum & paramedic reunite after traumatic ordeal in which baby Fia nearly died
THE mum of a three-month-old girl had an emotional reunion with a hero paramedic who saved her baby’s life before she went into labour.
It took every bit of strength for me to stop tears of joy rolling down my face
KATIE VAUGHAN
Therese Siciliano, originally from Limerick but living in London, visited the Wimbledon Ambulance Station with her daughter Fia to meet Katie Vaughan.
In October, the 40-year-old was 39 weeks’ pregnant and began bleeding heavily while picking her other daughter up from school.
Therese’s husband David phoned 999 and within minutes Katie was at the scene in a fast-response car.
She realised Therese’s condition could be life-threatening for Fia and called for back-up.
Therese said: “I have never been so scared in my life.
“In the ambulance, I was already preparing for the worst possible outcome and telling my husband, ‘We need to be ready for this baby not being alive’.”
She was rushed to St George’s Hospital in South London where everybody feared the worst but medics heard Fia’s heartbeat.
Paramedic Katie said she had to hold back tears and revealed it was a “career-topping moment”.
She added: “I was 95% sure that Fia wasn’t going to make it.
“When we heard the heartbeat, it took every bit of strength for me to stop the tears of joy rolling down my face.”
Later that night, Therese went into labour, and at 7am the following morning, she gave birth to Fia, who was healthy and weighed 10lbs and 6oz.
A week later, Therese contacted the London Ambulance Service with a touching letter praising Katie’s outstanding care and recently had a reunion at Wimbledon Ambulance Station.
Therese said: “Katie made me feel so safe and comfortable. I’ll always remember and cherish the hug she gave me at the hospital after we found out Fia had made it.”