A retired nurse is being hailed a hero after saving a three-month-old baby's life while on board a Spirit Airlines flight on September 8.
In an interview, Tamara Panzino told NBC affiliate WESH that she felt like her vacation had already begun about 35 minutes into the flight, which was taking her to Orlando, Florida, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Panzino said she was reading her book, not paying attention, and had her earbuds in when she heard a flight attendant say they had an infant who was not breathing. After the flight attendant asked if there was a doctor on board over the loudspeaker, Panzino said she immediately jumped out of her seat to tend to three-month-old Anjelé at the back of the plane.
Panzino applies sternal rub on the baby, who was turning blue
Panzino said she had no idea whether the baby was choking and if the airway was clear. She did not know what she was dealing with. When she saw the infant, her head was back, she had blue lips, and her skin was already turning blue. Panzino said the baby was clearly in distress and not breathing and her heart just dropped.
Panzino said she gave the baby to the daddy. While holding his child, the retired nurse did a sternal rub on the baby, which is an aggressive shake of the chest. She said she was trying to make it cry or take a deep breath.
Panzino said the baby's family and a group of staff moved to the front of the plane once the child started looking better. She was so glad the baby's color started looking better. She added that she did not have to perform CPR on the baby and commended the Spirit Airlines staff for having everything they needed on board.
Ian Cassette, a meteorologist for Fox affiliate WOFL who was on the same flight, said in a tweet that he spoke to the baby's family after the scary incident. Cassette said they praised the positive energy of the plane and the heroic actions of Panzino in saving the baby.
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Spirit Airlines extends its deepest gratitude to Panzino
Panzino said that the baby was home free within a few minutes and she was going to be good. Panzino added that she felt total relief when she heard breathing sounds and a heartbeat.
Spirit Airlines issued a statement to TODAY, saying that it trains flight attendants to respond to medical emergencies onboard, including asking for assistance from medical professionals traveling on the flight.
The company said that they extend their deepest gratitude to Panzino for coming to the aid of their guests, and they applaud their crew for their quick response. Panzino noted that it is not a hero thing at all, saying that it is a community coming together and everyone volunteering to help with what their knowledge can do. She said she was glad she was there to help.
