Guardian angel girl, 8, saves father’s life
Child spots danger in middle of night
AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD girl saved her father’s life after hearing him gasping for breath in the middle of the night – while she was getting herself a glass of water.
Rochelle Ramsey became her father’s hero after she heard him struggling to breathe, which turned out to be pneumonia and septic shock.
The schoolgirl had been getting a glass of water at 3am and woke up mum Sheryl Oribine after hearing her dad, Chris Ramsey, gasping.
Sheryl called an ambulance to their home in Port Glasgow and Chris, who has multiple sclerosis (MS), was rushed to Inverclyde Royal Hospital.
Chris’s condition means he is unable to walk. He has a very weak immune system so it could have been fatal for him if his daughter hadn’t stepped in.
Sheryl, 37, Chris’s full-time carer, said: “Rochelle ran into the room and we realised Chris’s teeth were chattering and his temperature was through the roof.
“I remember the paramedic telling me, ‘Your partner needs to get to hospital, right now’. Then they told me, ‘If it wasn’t for your wee girl, he would have died’.
“Rochelle had the biggest smile on her face when I told her she had saved her daddy’s life.
“Other eight-year-olds might have brushed it off but she knew something was wrong – she’s his guardian angel.”
Chris developed MS in 2018 and fiancee Sheryl has watched the condition deteriorate. He now needs to use an electric wheelchair.
His immune system has also worsened and the 38-year-old would often end up in hospital after picking up infections. He recently was treated for a chest infection.
The family had hoped he was on the mend – until that night. Sheryl said: “When I saw him, I was in total shock. It was a horrendous experience.”
He was blue-lighted to Inverclyde Royal Hospital. The pneumonia – which had caused him to shiver intensely with his teeth chattering – had developed into sepsis and Chris had been suffering with septic shock.
Chris spent a further three days in hospital before being discharged to recover at home.
Sheryl said: “Since he’s been home, he’s been giving Rochelle lots of cuddles and keeps saying he can’t believe he’s still alive. He’s so grateful to her.”