Sunderland baby airlifted to hospital after he stopped breathing reunited with paramedic who treated him four years later

Isaac Hoey from Sunderland was just six weeks old when he suddenly stopped breathing while away in the Mungrisdale area of the Lake District in 2018.

After developing a cold, Isaac’s Mum, Helen Hoey, noticed her son started having a coughing fit while crying and his face beginning to turn blue.

Thankfully, Helen had taken a first aid course just a few weeks before the incident and was able to guide her husband Steven on how to perform CPR while on the phone to a 999 call handler.

Isaac started breathing again just before paramedics arrived and was given oxygen before being airlifted to the paediatric intensive care unit at the RVI in Newcastle, where it was revealed he was suffering from bronchiolitis.

Helen said: “We had packed the car and were ready to go home when Isaac started crying in his car seat.

“It’s normal for a baby to cry, but then he was having a coughing fit whilst he was crying and his face went blue, so I shouted for my husband Steven and between us we rang an ambulance.”

Recently the family visited the GNAAS base near Eaglescliffe where Isaac was reunited with paramedic Andy Mawson, who is also the director of operations at GNAAS.

Isaac, now four, has since had further bouts of bronchiolitis, and has a constant cough, but apart from that he’s recovered well and has since raised £730 for GNAAS with his two-year-old brother Elijah by walking, running and scooting 32 miles in a month.

Mr Mawson said: “I still remember how tiny Isaac was when I first saw him, so it was a pleasure to meet him again four years later and see how much he has grown, as well as meet his little brother Elijah.

“I was delighted to hear how much the boys had raised for our charity and they should be very proud of their achievement.”

Mrs Hoey added: “Not many people realise GNAAS is not part of the NHS, it’s completely based on charitable donations. It would be horrendous to think that another family would be in our situation, and that the air ambulance wasn’t there to help.”