Living next to a police officer has its perks. You don’t have to worry about kids TP-ing your yard, for example. But one mom is thanking her lucky stars for the cop next door for an entirely different reason.
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Earlier this week, Greensboro, North Carolina resident Tracy Parham was at home with her one-year-old son, Karter. Around 1:30 a.m., a piece of candy got lodged in the little boy’s throat, blocking his airway.
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Panicked, her first thought was to call 911. Then she remembered her neighbor. They’d never been properly introduced, but she’d seen him around before and knew he was an officer with the Greensboro Police Department.
“I was about to dial 911 when God said, ‘Fool get up and run,’”she said.
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She gathered Karter up in her arms and ran next door, banging and screaming on the door until Officer J.D. Strickland came out to find out what was going on. By that time, Karter wasn’t breathing and was quickly losing color.
Officer Strickland immediately began striking him on his back, and after seven or eight blows, “the candy shot out like a bullet.”
“I mean, I could hear it and see it bounce off my front porch,” said Officer Strickland.
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Now, Tracy is calling the heroic cop “family.”
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Meanwhile, Strickland is refusing to take credit for saving the little boy’s life, instead redirecting the praise back to Tracy.
She saved her son. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Her quick-thinking to get him to me instead of having to wait, that’s what saved her son.
Thanks for helping to keep your community safe and alive, Officer Strickland, whether you’re on duty or off.
Share to spread thanks for saving Karter’s life!
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