SAN DIEGO, Texas — A sweet reunion happened Monday between members of HALO-Flight and a little boy from San Diego, Texas, after they first met on Christmas when they saved the child's life.
"He gets into everything," mother Mary Jo Gallegos said.
Gallegos is referring to her 2-year-old son Rogue.
According to Gallegos, she is used to the chaos around the house with three little boys but was not ready for what happened to Rogue on Christmas day.
Rogue found a small marble, put it in his mouth, and suddenly started choking.
"Right away, my husband got him, and he's like 'somethings stuck I can't get it out.' And he put his finger trying to think that he could get it out, and it got lower," Gallegos said.
Gallegos says they immediately called 911, and when paramedics arrived, they too were unable to get the marble from Roque's throat. That's when HALO-Flight was called in.
When HALO-Flight arrived on the scene, Roque could barely breathe.
"Limp, struggling, changing color up until the point to where his eyes were starting to roll back," flight paramedic Derrek Bockholt said
When traditional methods to stop Roque from choking didn't work, HALO-Flight gave him a strong sedative that completely relaxed his muscles, making it easier to retrieve the marble.
"And I placed an endotracheal tube in his lungs because the medications that we gave him allow him to be so relaxed that he's not breathing, so we have to breathe for him," Bockholt said
Moments later, HALO-Flight was able to get the marble and saved Roque's life.
"It's just a blessing to see him as active as he is without any type of deficit. That's the best Christmas present ever I think," Bockholt said
Roque will be celebrating his 3rd birthday on Jan. 26.
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