Gwinnett County

Gwinnett County officer celebrated as hero after saving unresponsive 1-year-old

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County officer is being called a hero after saving an unresponsive 1-year-old.

According to officials, the officer was off duty spending time with his own children watching football when neighbors came knocking for help.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Just after midnight on Sept. 11, the neighbors knocked on Corporal Lee Meader door, panicking after their 1-year-old boy suddenly stopped breathing.

“Once I got there they had the baby in their hands and it was just limp, there was no life to it,” Corporal Meader said.

Two Gwinnett County police officers also responded to the neighborhood in Buford along with paramedics.

“I just started doing CPR right there,” he said. “It seemed like an eternity, but after a few minutes, he took a big grasp of air.”

Meader passed the baby off the a paramedic and later found out the child had a seizure and survived.

TRENDING STORIES:

On Wednesday, the Gwinnett County Police Department honored him for his heroic actions with an award.

The department said due to Meador’s quick action, the baby made a full recovery and helped create a positive outcome for the family.

“When I saw him again,” he said, “to sit there and see that the baby is having fun with his parents,” you can’t describe the feeling that I had inside me.”

The parents of the 1-year-old have since moved out of the neighborhood but told Channel 2 Action News they were grateful and appreciative of Meader’s quick action.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

IN OTHER NEWS: