Boy born prematurely meets paramedics who saved his life

A boy born weighing less than a bag of sugar has been reunited with three paramedics who saved his life.

Finlay MacKenzie was born at 26 weeks in March last year at just 1lb 13oz (0.8kg) and needed CPR from ambulance staff.

They used just two fingers to compress his chest because of how delicate and fragile he was, the Scottish Ambulance Service said.

The infant, of Glasgow, spent 11 weeks in hospital but is now 15 months and weighs a healthy 10kg.

At Glasgow East Ambulance Station on Tuesday, Finlay, his mother Gemma Maxwell, 29, and father Niall MacKenzie, 30, met ambulance staff Nikki Wilson, Harry Trodden and Sheila Parr.

Gemma said: “He’s just doing amazing now. He’s just such a character and you would never know the rocky start he has had in life.

“We had to do this. They saved him – this is healing for me.

“What do you say to the people who saved your baby’s life? To just see them, and thank them, is huge. You can tell it’s not just a job for them, it’s their life.”

Niall added: “I was on a different planet, didn’t know what was going on.

“We were quite positive throughout the whole thing, we always said we had this feeling that everything was going to be okay.

“If it wasn’t for the crew, he wouldn’t have made it. They are all amazing.”

Paramedic, Harry, said he used just two fingers to compress the chest of Finlay due to his small size.

He said: “I was giving him oxygen with a bag and even the smallest mask we had was too big.

“I had to be gentle with the CPR and not go too deep. At 26 weeks the lungs are not fully developed, so I had to be careful.”

Sheila Parr added: “I have been a paramedic for 20 years and this is one of the most memorable cases.

“He is happy and delightful, a real joy.”