With so much sadness and sorrow in the world, it’s all too easy to overlook the unsung heroes who work to make it a better place.
Firefighters, surgeons, nurses, and police officers, among others, frequently forsake their own privileges to save others. They are always located where they are most needed, working relentlessly to save lives and must constantly be prepared to rush into an emergency scenario.
Being in the right spot at the right moment might be the difference between life and death for them. It was for Elise Longsbury, for sure.
According to stories, Elise was just 6 weeks old when she nearly died. It all began when the newborn girl awoke drowsy. Kristin Lonsbury, her mom, was terrified and rushed her daughter to the hospital, only to be shocked by choking sounds coming from Elise’s car seat.
Kristin pulled over to the side of the Interstate in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, and yanked her kid from the passenger seat.
They were in the weeds on the side of the road. Elise was unconscious, and she couldn’t wake her up, Kristin explained. She believed her kid was dying at the time.
Fortunately, assistance was on hand. As Kristin remained by the roadside, a nurse, Virginia Marsh, happened to be driving by, and a State Trooper, Lt. Paul Stricker, also stopped over to help.
It’s one of those things he’ll never forget, said Stricker, a veteran trooper.
Something impacted all of them that day, and it was a blessing that their paths crossed for the correct purposes.
Elise was kept alive by Paul and Virginia until an ambulance arrived to take her to the hospital. She was hospitalized for five days since the cause of her breathing issues was discovered to be a virus, which she eventually recovered from.
Lt. Stricker sent Elise a heartfelt letter a year after the tragedy. It featured the following promise that while she is still too little to comprehend. As her protector, he will always be there for her.
Matter of fact, Elise seemed to have made a lifelong friend in the State Trooper.
That’s why it warmed my heart when Paul accompanied Elise to her first day of school five years after saving her life.
According to rumors, Stricker created a unique badge for Elise, a small version of his own, and it has become Elise’s most valued item.
Elise wore her badge proudly on her first day of kindergarten, with Stricker at her side.
Having Paul here is very meaningful for her, Elise’s mother stated. She hopes her child never forgets this.
It’s quite remarkable to see her as joyful as she is at present, Stricker added.
Five years after helping save the life of 6-week-old baby, a MN state trooper has escorted her to kindergarten. Lt. Paul Stricker happened to be driving by when Elise Lonsbury stopped breathing along I-394. "It was a blessing," the veteran trooper said of the encounter and the friendship that's followed. Here's the full story: https://bit.ly/3fp21pJ Boyd Huppert's Land of 10,000 Stories
Posted by KARE 11 on Monday, 26 September 2022
What a wonderful gesture! Thank you, Paul, for stopping to save a life and for being at Elise’s side.
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