PHOENIX — The date is September 30th, 1970. Kim Christianson is 13 days old when she stops breathing while feeding.
Her sister Cheri, then 12 years old, remembers her baby sister changing color.
"Her face was getting dark," Cheri said Sunday. "And I remember her lips were turning blue."
Enter Phoenix Police Officer Gary Michael, three years on the job and a block and a half away. Michael arrived, grabbed the infant, and hopped in his patrol car. With one hand on the wheel and the other holding baby Kim, Officer Michael drove to Maryvale Hospital while performing CPR on the child.
"Back in those days we didn't have the fire department arriving," Michael remembered. "We didn't have them taking over the medical side of things, and it was our first line duty to be first aid."
After a few breaths, Kim began to show signs of life.
"She spit up on herself and a little on me," he said.
Kim then began crying, which meant she was breathing, and by the time officer and child arrived at the hospital, baby Kim was fine.
The family was and is still very grateful. Officer Michael received multiple awards for his quick action. In the 1980s, however, the family moved away from the Valley and lost touch with Michael.
Thanks to the internet, they were able to reconnect. Saturday, Kim, who now lives in South Dakota, reunited with the man who saved her life.
"I have always told my husband the number one item on my bucket list is to meet Gary Michael in person because I have a wonderful life," Kim Christianson said. "I've been so happy. My life is amazing. And I owe that to him for saving me."