Gran’s first aid skills save toddler
Woman urges others to learn the skills she used to brought her grandson back to life
Macilla Manuel knew exactly what to do when her little grandson was found face down in the stream behind the family’s home at Coopers Beach on Sunday.
She had recently done a first aid course at NorthTec and wasted no time in beginning CPR on 16-monthold Tawhirimatea Ratahi.
He seemed to respond several times but it was five minutes before
he began breathing properly again, and Manuel knew he wouldn’t die.
She wasn’t alone though. She had already lost a child of her own, to cot death at 3 months, and was terrified she would lose another.
“I prayed to the Lord, ‘Please don’t do this to me again’,” she said.
The toddler’s mother, Justise Murphy, also knew she was drawing strength from family who had died.
“My mum alone had hope, she knew she had our aunty watching over her; faith, she knew our baby brother was watching over her, and love — she had her dad with her. She knew her tupuna were with her, she was at peace.
“God was on our side. We say big thanks to our Mama Bear Macilla. I am so proud of her,” Murphy said.
The family had been about to leave for the beach to celebrate Father’s Day, when Murphy noticed her younger child was not in the car.
Manuel sent her son to look for him; he found the little boy face down in the creek, blue and not breathing.
After a rescue helicopter flight to Whanga¯rei Hospital he very quickly returned to his usual busy, inquisitive self, Murphy said, but he was still in hospital yesterday, with his father, for treatment of a cut to one hand. He was expected to recover fully.
Manuel, meanwhile, was still emotional, aware of how close she had come to losing her grandson.
She and Murphy were encouraging others, starting with their family members, to do first aid training.
“You don’t know when you are going to need it.”
The family, who had only recently moved into their house after leaving Auckland, now want the stream fenced.
I prayed to the Lord, ‘Please don’t do this to me again’. Macilla Manuel