Toddler almost drowns in river, survives after 101 minutes of CPR



A 22-month-old baby boy who was pulled from an icy stream was revived after one hour and 41 minutes of CPR.

Gardell Martin was playing with his two brothers in Pennsylvania last week when he fell into a river.

His father Randall Beachel told BuzzFeed News that he and his wife searched for Gardell after his brothers said they couldn't find him.

"I had the inkling to come back upstream about 50 yards," Beachel recalled.

Minutes later Gardell's lifeless body was found and an ambulance crew arrived.

According to the Chicago Tribune, they found no pulse and begun CPR. Resuscitation continued for 101 minutes - in the ambulance, at a community hospital, on board a medical helicopter and finally in the emergency room of the paediatric wing of Geisinger Medical Center.

Dr. Frank Maffei, director of the paediatric intensive care unit said: "It's not only extraordinarily rare that we got the kid back, but what's even more extraordinary is the rate at which he recovered and the completeness of his recovery."

"It was an act of God," his grateful mother, Rose Martin, told AP.

Gardell is back at home with his family and is walking, though he still needs to regain his balance.



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