Dad quits job to become paramedic after his daughter nearly dies

By Sarah Majeed via SWNS

A dad whose baby nearly died at just two hours old when her heart stopped has quit his car salesman job and become a paramedic.

Carl Birks, 33, was so inspired by the hospital staff who saved daughter Felicity's life that he changed careers.

The former salesman and wife, Charlie, 35, were devastated when medics were forced to deliver their baby at just 29 weeks.

The little one was has hydrops fetalis, deadly fluid on the lungs and was given a five percent chance of survival before her heart stopped for two minutes.

Doctors at Doncaster Royal Infirmary in South Yorkshire, England fought to save her life by draining her lung and performing CPR.

She was resuscitated and spent two months in Sheffield Teaching Hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.

Carl, from Hatfield, Doncaster, is currently waiting to start training.

The dad-of-four said: “I was so worried, Charlie and I had been wishing for a girl and we didn’t want to lose our first daughter.

"We didn’t know if she would make it as we sat outside the incubation room waiting for her to stabilize for 16 hours, with only a photo of her to hold.

''The medics were incredible.

''The paramedics' reassurance and help made the biggest impact on me.

"Now she’s my strong-willed, always happy, camera-loving, miracle.”

Carl and Charlie, a health care assistant, - who were already parents to Jayden, 16, Anthony, 12, and Oliver, six - found they were pregnant in January 2019.

Charlie felt reduced movement and went for a check up at 29 weeks which revealed the baby had an abnormal heart rate so decided to deliver her early.

Felicity, now four, was born via c-section at 1 A.M., weighing 3lbs 7oz on April 11, 2019.

She was swiftly transferred, at just five hours old, to Sheffield Children's Hospital, South Yorkshire for specialist care.

The newborn needed four surgeries and spent 116 days in hospital.

Carl said: ''All the doctors and nurses treated Felicity and us amazingly, taking care of our every need.

“We couldn’t believe it when we were finally allowed to take her home.

''It felt like I was on top of the world.”

After initially going back to his previous role as a car salesman, Carl was laid off in May 2020 due to COVID-19.

Carl said: “I was deciding what I wanted to do with my new career and realized that I couldn’t go back to selling cars.

''I wanted to look after people the way I was looked after.”

With the support of his wife, Carl began his level 3 diploma in health science at Doncaster College, in September 2022.

He is due to start an undergraduate degree in paramedic science at University of Bradford, West Yorkshire, in September 2023.

"It was a little daunting going back to school," Carl added.

"But I was determined to do it, not just for Felicity but for the wonderful paramedics and medical staff that were the biggest support.

"Felicity is only four but she says she's proud of me and that keeps me going.

"I'm hoping to become a paramedic and make an impact on people as they did for me."

Carl has since taken on the challenge of having an ice bath every day for 116 days to raise money for Embrace and The Children's Hospice Charity.

He said: "I'm doing this challenge to highlight the fantastic job everyone within Team Embrace and the ambulance service does.

"The hardest part is getting yourself in there."

To donate to Carl's fundraiser visit here.