Deputy William Kimbro with the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office experienced a life-changing incident a year ago which turned his whole life around.
It all started when he stopped a car for speeding in Berkeley County, South Carolina, on June 11, it was caught on his bodycam and shared by the sheriff’s office on Facebook.
“Upon stopping the vehicle, the driver immediately exited the car and exclaimed that the baby in her vehicle had stopped breathing,” the sheriff’s office shared on July 11. “Deputy W. Kimbro knew he needed to act immediately to save the baby’s life.”
“Deputy Kimbro made contact with the 12-day-old baby and her mother in the vehicle. The mother told the Deputy the baby stopped breathing after drinking a bottle. Deputy Kimbro took the baby’s limp and cyanotic body and performed lifesaving first aid. As a result, he was able to get the baby to breathe again until EMS could arrive.”
Deputy W. Kimbro Saves 12-day-old Baby
When we wear the uniform and badge, we become what someone needs at that moment. For one Deputy that meant he needed to become the line between life and death for one young child.
On June 11, a Deputy was conducting routine patrol in the unincorporated Summerville area of Berkeley County when he stopped a vehicle for speeding. What happens next was all captured on his department-issued body camera.
Upon stopping the vehicle, the driver immediately exited the car and exclaimed that the baby in her vehicle had stopped breathing. Deputy W. Kimbro knew he needed to act immediately to save the baby’s life.
Deputy Kimbro made contact with the 12-day-old baby and her mother in the vehicle. The mother told the Deputy the baby stopped breathing after drinking a bottle. Deputy Kimbro took the baby’s limp and cyanotic body and performed lifesaving first aid. As a result, he was able to get the baby to breathe again until EMS could arrive.
Because of Deputy Kimbro’s steadfast, professional and heroic response, the 12-day old baby was able to live. Please join us in congratulating Deputy Kimbro for his gallant actions that prolonged human life. He was awarded the “Life-Saving Medal” from Sheriff Lewis for his heroic actions that day. Well done!
Posted by Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, July 11, 2019
The video shows how the deputy tries his best to revive her, clearing her mouth and rubbing her chest to try to get her to breathe on her own again. Thankfully, his efforts were successful, and the tiny baby survived.
“Because of Deputy Kimbro’s steadfast, professional and heroic response, the 12-day old baby was able to live,” the post continued. “Please join us in congratulating Deputy Kimbro for his gallant actions that prolonged human life.”
Kimbro received the “Life-Saving Medal” from the sheriff and also gained a family in the process.
He has been a steady influence in the little girl’s life since then, “Today, one year ago, is the day that I met Ryleigh when I saved her life,” he said, “On May 31 was Miss Ryleigh’s 1-year-old birthday, so she had her birthday, and it was just phenomenal. We went to the birthday. And, it was just, it was great.”
The next week, the family asked him and his wife to be Ryleigh’s godparents, a request that they couldn’t refuse.
“I was finally able to scratch it off, and, underneath the scratcher, it says ‘Will you be my godfather?’” he recalled. “And man, sir, let me just tell you something — my jaw just dropped. And, I just had this look on her, on my face. And, I looked right at Ryleigh, who was sitting on her grandmother’s lap. And, I just said, absolutely, yes, absolutely, and my wife got the same card.”
The deputy is sure that there is something deeper and their meeting was not mere happenstance.
“What was the reason that I actually went down that street, you know?” he said. “Because there were five, six, seven other streets I could have gone down.”
“You know what? As the saying goes, ‘God works in mysterious ways.’”
God surely had a plan for the Deputy to cross paths with this family and connect with them at such a deep level.