Breath of life a link forever

SAUGUS – Maryann Cocca-Leffler vividly remembers the day in April 1993 when her 18-month-old baby Kristin stopped breathing.When she began to turn blue, Cocca-Leffler ran out of the house and brought her to the only person she knew would be able to help, her neighbor and Saugus firefighter Dan McNeil.McNeil, who recently retired, performed CPR on the baby and she started breathing again before she was taken to a hospital where she fully recovered.More than 18 years later, 19-year-old Kristin came to the Saugus Fire Headquarters on Thursday to thank McNeil in person for the first time.?It?s a very weird feeling,” said a tearful Leffler. “I was obviously a baby when I lived there. I don?t remember much and I didn?t really know what to say. How do you thank someone for saving your life?”Leffler and her mother drove down from their home in Amherst, N.H. to meet with McNeil and his family after they read the story about his retirement on Facebook. Leffler sent him a thank you card shortly after, then arranged the trip to thank him in person.When they finally met on Thursday, tears were hard to hold back as the McNeils and Lefflers hugged for the first time since that night more than 18 years ago.?That?s one of the bad parts about the Fire Department,” McNeil said. “You can give someone CPR or somebody can rescue somebody? but once they leave the scene you never know, Were they alright? Did they live? Were there any long-lasting effects from the injury?”Fortunately for Leffler, there were no lasting effects, and she is now entering her sophomore year at Ithaca College where she studies journalism.In high school, Leffler started a program called Birthday Wish, where she sent birthday packages to kids in need. That effort helped her land a full scholarship to Ithaca, where she still runs the program.?There?s definitely a part of me that always wanted to give back,” said Leffler, who recently finished an internship at New Hampshire Public Radio. “I?m very into telling stories and hearing stories. I love moments likes this, too, very powerful moments between two people.”She added, “To be a journalist and be a voice for people who can?t necessarily speak for themselves is something that?s very important to me.”Looking back to that night, Cocca-Leffler remembered her daughter had an ear infection. After she started giving her antibiotics, she ran a fever near 106. Cocca-Leffler tried to cool her down with water, but Kristin had a seizure and stopped breathing.?At that point I knew I couldn?t give her CPR and call 911 at the same time,” said Cocca-Leffler. “I thought, ?Thankfully my neighbor Dan,? and I was praying he was going to be home. I ran out of the house with my baby who wasn?t breathing and pounded on their door.”McNeil said the baby?s lips and ears were turning blue, and when he put her down on a table he couldn?t hear any breathing.?She wasn?t breathing and her eyes had rolled back into her head,” McNeil said. “She had a pulse but it was so fast you couldn?t count it. I gave her two or three breaths and it was amazing? after the third breath color actually started coming back. I gave her three more breaths and that?s when her eyes flooded and I knew things were going to be good.”But while McNeil?s quick thinking saved baby Kristin?s life, Cocca-Leffler said it was his whole family rallied around them.?The rest of the family came into action,” Cocca-Leffler said. “Erin called 911, Donna was trying to calm me down, Kellieanne went to watch my other daughter. He got Kristin breathing and that?s when I was relieved.”McNeil?s wife Donna said despite having two teenage daughters at the time, everyone remained calm.?I said, ?Wow, here I have three young kids and nobody panicked,?” Donna said. “It was one of the proudest moments of my life for my kids at such a young age.”Leffler and her mom keep a scrapbook from her childhood, which includes the 1993 article from The Item and a big photo of a younger McNeil. Leffler said she?s read the