Police officer saved her baby's life—then she asked him one life-changing question and his 'jaw just dropped'
Understanding and willingness to listen can be life-changing in many situations. A police officer who had stopped a speeding woman's car had no idea of the woman's hurry until he saw a choking baby inside the vehicle. The man got into action and saved the baby's life. That one incident bonded him really strongly with the family, and they became a part of each other's lives. However, the man, William Kimbro, hadn't imagined the priceless request he would receive a year later, per ABC News 4.
Kimbro was on his usual work as a cop back in June 2019 and stopped a mom who was speeding. The panicked mom immediately opened the car's door and explained that her 12-day-old baby, Ryleigh, was choking and had stopped breathing because of that. The Berkeley County officer immediately provided CPR to the baby and was able to save her life. The officer and his family developed a strong connection with the baby because of that one moment. They had stayed in constant touch with Ryleigh over the year. Kimbro and his wife were also invited to the baby's first birthday, as he played a huge role in making the day possible.
"May 31st was Miss Ryleigh's 1-year-old birthday. It was phenomenal. We went to the birthday. It was great," Kimbro expressed. A few days later, on the anniversary of the day the cop met Ryleigh and her mom, the mother-daughter duo turned up at Kimbro's residence. "Today, one year ago, is the day that I met Ryleigh when I saved her life." The officer was glad to see them when he opened the door on the meaningful day. "There is Miss Ryleigh and her mom walking in. You got to be kidding me. You surprised me. You got me." However, what happened next increased his happiness and excitement tenfold. The mom had gifts for Kimbro and his wife, which had a special reason behind them.
"She hands my wife and me these envelopes with a penny on them. She said, 'You'll need the penny.' She said, 'You'll need to read the card out loud.'" The couple was supposed to scratch the card with the penny and read the message beneath. When they finally read it, they were both surprised and elated. "Will you be my godfather? My jaw just dropped. I just had this look on my face, looked at Ryleigh. I said, 'absolutely, absolutely,' and my wife got the same card." The couple also received T-shirts that read "Promoted to goddad 2020" and "Promoted to godmother 2020," per CBS 17.
"Throughout the year, I reflected many times and in particular that day. I always asked myself, 'What was the reason I went down that street?' There were five, six, seven other streets I could have gone down before going down that particular road. I could never answer that question. I just stopped trying. God works in mysterious ways," the officer told ABC News 4. The happy couple posed for a photo with the baby in their arms after becoming her godparents, per CBS 17. The couple showered the baby with affection and were thankful for the opportunity to become an important part of her life.