Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Colorado Police Officer Saves Boy's Life

Aired July 11, 2001 - 09:27   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We have one stop on our journey across America today. It is in Greeley, Colorado, where a quick acting police officer is being credited with saving the life of a little boy.

Mike Hooker from CNN affiliate KCNC has the happy ending.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Here we go.

MIKE HOOKER, KCNC REPORTER (voice-over): Three weeks old and Max Espinoza's parents are holding him closer than ever.

GINA ESPINOZA, MAX'S MOTHER: It's nothing. Like after you almost lose him and you see him lifeless in your arms, it's just like you can't explain that.

HOOKER: Max's grandmother was driving the car, mom in the back seat with her newborn, who had just finished a crying fit.

REGINA WEGLIN, MAX'S GRANDMOTHER: And all of a sudden she just started screaming, "Mom! He's not breathing. He's not breathing!"

HOOKER (on camera): At this intersection, the infant's mother and grandmother spotted a police car. They were desperate. They began honking the horn, flashing the lights, doing anything they could to get the officer's attention.

SGT. RUSTY MELLON, GREELEY POLICE DEPARTMENT: At first I thought it was a doll. Then I realized it's the child and she says, "He's not breathing." And I mean she's screaming, "He's not breathing!" and it's like OK.

WEGLIN: And he was turning blue and I just ran to Officer Mellon and I said, you know, "He's not breathing! He's not breathing!" And I just threw him to Officer Mellon.

HOOKER (voice-over): In 32 years as a Greeley cop, Sergeant Rusty Mellon's never had to use his CPR training on an infant. He finds baby Max's heart is still beating so he blows in air through the infant's nose and mouth. MELLON: A couple of breaths and then he took over. And then I looked up and I saw mom and grand mom and I gave them a thumbs up and the look on their face made it really worthwhile.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Not a care in the world, and that's the way it should be.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I think that Officer Mellon is a guardian angel.

MELLON: Someone was watching after you, Max. That's what they were doing.

UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: It seems more than a coincidence to me that he was there. I mean it has to be.

MELLON: I'm just glad I was at the right place at the right time for the child's sake. I mean that's what it's all about and that's what we do as cops.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

KAGAN: A happy ending to that story. A happy ending there. That was reporter Mike Hooker from our affiliate KCNC.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com