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Daily Record
Daily Record
World
Chiara Fiorillo & Hannah Mackenzie Wood

Paramedic who treated dying teen at car crash later realised victim was own daughter

A paramedic desperately tried to save a critically injured teen at the scene of hospital - without realising it was her own daughter. Jayme Erickson was called out to the road collision on November 15 in Airdrie in Alberta, Canada where she found the victim with severe injuries.

She treated her for nearly half an hour while firefighters worked to remove her from the vehicle, staying by the girl's side until she was airlifted to the Mirror reports. Due to the extent of her 'horrific' injuries, the emergency worker didn't recognise the victim as her own 17-year-old daughter, Montana.

Following the incident, Ms Erickson expressed her grief to fellow paramedic Richard Reed, saying: "Tonight a family will most likely lose their daughter." Montana had been travelling with another female when their car lost control and was hit by a truck, the Mirror reports.

It was only once Ms Erickson returned home from her shift and was met by police that she realised she had been trying to save her own daughter at the scene of the collision. She was told that the injuries Montana had sustained were "not compatible with life" and her life support was removed.

The paramedic said her life "changed forever" when she learned she had been treating her own fatally injured daughter, who tragically died in hospital three days later. In a message posted to Facebook, she wrote: "Minutes after arriving home, my doorbell rang. My life was changed forever. RCMP were at my door to inform me that my daughter had been in an accident.

Montana's heartbroken mum said she "fought until the day that she died". (Facebook)

"The critically injured patient I had just attended to was my own flesh and blood. My only child. My mini-me. My daughter, Montana.

"Her injuries were so horrific I did not even recognise her. I was taken to [Foothills Medical Centre] to see my baby girl and was informed her injuries were not compatible with life."

She added: "I am shattered. I am broken. I am missing a piece of me. I am left to pick up the pieces and expected to carry on."

Ms Erickson, who described the tragedy as her "worst nightmare as a paramedic", said her daughter "fought until the day that she died". She added that Montana, who was a competitive swimmer, was able to give "one last gift" to the world by donating her organs, two of which were lifesaving.

Ms Erickson said: "We're so happy that our baby girl is living on through others and she has in the wake of this tragedy saved other people. We know it's what she would have wanted and we are so proud of her and we're going to miss her very, very much."

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