Mom was shattered when her baby turned blue and stopped breathing — then a nearby cable technician saved his life

The technician was in the area and heard cries for help — he turned out to be just the man the family needed.

PUBLISHED MAY 31, 2025

(L) Technician doing installation on home roof. (R) Infant in parent's arms looking unusual and sick. (Representative Cover Image Source: Pexels | (L) Kindle Media; (R) Alexander Mass; (Inset) ABC 6 | Angela Sanders)

One should never underestimate the power of asking for help. There is no saying when and who can be of life-saving assistance when we are most vulnerable. Similarly, in 2016, Angela Sanders, mom of then 5-month-old Dakota, was worried sick when her infant stopped breathing, per ABC 6. With every second getting more fragile and scary, the mom was unsure what to do. To her luck, Time Warner Cable technician Daniel Craft was putting up an installation in the area. As soon as he heard a cry for help, he immediately rushed over and intervened to save the baby’s life.

Worried mom trying to comfort uneasy infant crying uncontrollably. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Karolina Grabowska)

Craft was on a regular day at work, unbeknownst to what was to follow. As he was leaving after an installation, he heard three women racing out from an apartment asking for help. He quickly learned that 5-month-old Dakota was not breathing. The technician urged the women to dial 911 and hurried over to the Sanders’ home. When he arrived, he learned that Dakota was turning blue and was already cold to the touch. Craft, who had a military background and also worked as a correction officer, acted astutely and immediately began to figure out what was wrong. “I propped his head back and he was still blue,” Craft recalled.

Technician busy working outdoors. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Cristian Rojas)

He then thought the baby might be choking or might have something in his mouth. According to the American Red Cross, children below the age of 5 years are at high risk of choking. In such cases, a cautious attempt is to be made to help, given their fragile bodies. The Red Cross recommends facing the baby downwards, placing them on one’s thigh, while holding them with the forearm. The positioning is crucial to follow the next steps. It is advised to position the baby’s neck and head correctly, the head should be lower than the body. The child is to be given firm back blows between the shoulder blades using the heel of one’s hand.

Infant lying on bed with eyes closed. (Representative Image Source: Pexels| Photo by Marcin Jozwiak)

This is followed by turning the child over and giving chest thrusts. However, this didn’t seem to work in Dakota’s case. Craft ingeniously followed with the next step. “I put my finger in and swept it through his mouth to clear his throat. As I pulled my finger out, I still had my ear down there and I heard him starting to gurgle and his stomach just raised. He started breathing again," the technician noted. The Red Cross also recommends opening an infant’s mouth and locating any possible objects blocking the airway. Once the object is found, the pinky finger may be used to sweep it out. Craft did just that.

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He proceeded to stay with the mom and the baby, comforting them and ensuring Dakota was able to breathe. He even spoke with the 911 dispatchers until they arrived and took over. It was later learned that Dakota suffered a seizure due to a ruptured hernia. Craft played quite the literal life-saving role. Had Craft not been there, the baby wouldn’t have made it. Angela, too, credited the technician for saving her child’s life and helping her keep calm. "If he hadn't been there, my baby would have died. I was freaked out and I didn't know what to do," the mom remarked. She owed her son’s life to the man. "He is a hero. I am grateful he saved my baby," the mom said.