A routine stop at a post office in Clifton turned into an emergency when Kylie Vega’s 8-month-old daughter, Nova, stopped breathing.
“She was kind of going limp… so I started patting her back,” Vega recalled.
Vega soon realised Nova had stopped breathing, and postal clerk Mary Schwarz rushed from behind the counter to help. Schwarz is a former nurse with 13 years of experience.
“There was no thinking in that situation,” Schwarz said. “I just jumped into action.”
Schwarz said she could not find a pulse and began CPR. After hearing Vega tell a 911 dispatcher that Nova may have choked after trying to vomit, Schwarz also performed back thrusts to try to clear the baby’s airway.
Clifton Police Lieutenant Shari Aguilar, who was nearby, responded to the emergency and joined Schwarz in caring for Nova. Aguilar said she knew about Schwarz’s nursing background, and the pair kept trying to save the baby before Aguilar decided to drive her to a nearby clinic.
“I knew time was of the essence, and we needed to get that baby to the hospital as soon as possible,” Aguilar said.
As Aguilar drove, Schwarz held Nova in the front passenger seat and kept caring for her. About halfway to the clinic, Nova began breathing again before medical staff took over.
Nova was later transferred to Banner University Medical Center in Tucson. She underwent surgery on July 21 to repair a hole in her heart.
According to Vega, Nova was born with a hole in her heart and without one of the arteries needed to support it.
Schwarz said she hopes the experience encourages more people to learn CPR.
“If you’re a homeowner and have a pool or there’s a choking incident with a child or a family member, it’s so important to have some kind of training to know what to do in that situation,” she said.
Vega said she will never forget the people who helped her daughter.
“I am very grateful that there’s kind people like that still in this world,” she said. “I don’t know why this happened, but I’m grateful it went the way it did, and I can’t thank her enough.”
Speaking about Nova, Vega added, “I know everyone says their child is special, but I really mean it. She’s special, and she’s the rainbow in our lives.”
Vega and Schwarz have since connected on Facebook, where Vega has been sharing updates on Nova’s recovery.
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