The mum of a Scots baby who turned blue and stopped breathing during a terrifying seizure has issued her heartfelt thanks to ASDA staff who helped save his life. Beth Williams and partner Jack Allan had just put little Finlay into a trolley at The Jewel supermarket in Edinburgh when he ‘flopped sideways and began crying’ in October.
The 16-month-old’s parents noticed he was burning up and rushed him to the pharmacy counter where first aiders Dean Carpenter and James Jenkins were waiting. But after calling 999 for an ambulance, the youngster began to struggle for breath with ‘gargling, bubbly, liquid’ sounds coming from his chest.
When Finlay stopped breathing, Dean, 61, swiftly began a chest massage to bring him back round. Mum Beth, 21, said: “The whole situation only lasted about ten minutes, but it felt like forever as we didn't know what was going on.
"We had been at soft play and were about to go into Asda. I put him into a trolley and he just flopped sideways and started crying. He was very, very warm.
"I went straight into the shop panicking to find someone to help and luckily James and Dean were there.”
"I didn't have a clue what to do. Finlay went blue at one point and when he stopped breathing as well. It was so scary.
“It's every parent’s worst nightmare when their baby takes ill, and the two gentlemen were incredible. We're so grateful to James and Dean for everything they did for us. Their professionalism, calmness and consideration were so appreciated. They immediately came to Finlay’s aid, and we will always be thankful for that."
Finlay was rushed to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary where medics kept him under close observation before releasing him the following day.
Beth added: “When he got there, they monitored him overnight and took his temperature every four hours and gave him medication to get his temperature down, and he was allowed out the following morning.
“The doctors thought it might have been caused by his teeth which were just coming through, but he had signs of a common cold too. He's totally fine now, thankfully.”
Asda colleagues Dean and James have both been nominated for superstar awards for their heroic actions but both admit it was a tense few minutes. Grandad-of-two Dean, who's worked in the store for five years, described the event as being “scary as hell”.
He said: “I was in the warehouse when I got a call from our store manager Collette McSorley to say there was a little baby involved. It's always scarier when it's a baby.
“When it's an adult you can talk to people and ask them 'how's it going'? and 'where is the pain?' but with a baby you have no interaction whatsoever.
“The baby was roasting at this time – when the paramedics arrived he was about 38/39C. James stripped Finlay down and put him on a blanket to try to cool him down.
“I was relaying information to the 999 handler and then Finlay stopped convulsing and you could hear his breathing, which was just gargling, bubbly and liquid.
“His temperature then just dropped and he started to go to sleep, which the call handler said was normal after convulsions.
“But just before the paramedics came into the shop, he stopped breathing. I just thought 'no, not now' so I gave him a massage, a gentle rub and a squeeze and he started breathing again.
“He'd only stopped for about a second, but it seemed to go on for 45 minutes. It was scary as hell. Me and James just looked at each other in total relief.
“We are just so pleased that Finlay was okay in the end and we were able to help at such a traumatic time for the parents.”
James, 55, added "When it was over I sat down in the canteen and I was sweating buckets. It was such a relief that Finlay was okay.”
Store manager Colette added: “They are a true credit to the store.”
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