Corpsman Gives Gift of Life on His Birthday

MASBATE PROVINCE, Republic of the Philippines (NNS) -- A hospital corpsman, with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 40, saved the life of a Masbate province toddler, who nearly drowned after falling into a pool at the Bituon Beach Resort April 6.

On what started as a normal birthday for a U.S. Navy Seabee Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Christopher Thomas, soon became the day he was deemed a hero for saving 19-month-old Maria Fe Issabelle Fernandez

"I had never saved a life before, and the moment felt surreal," said Thomas, who is from The Woodlands, Texas.

Thomas was returning to the resort from working with members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and fellow Seabees when Equipment Operator Constructionman William Hardwick raced over and grabbed him.

"I didn't know exactly what to do, but I saw the doc [Thomas] and immediately ran to get his help," Hardwick recounted.

Once Hardwick led Thomas to the child, who was unconscious, the corpsman took charge of the situation, and his medical training kicked in.

"I held her in my arm and gave her back thrusts to force the water out of her," said Thomas, who explained the child wasn't breathing due to water in the lungs.
"After about seven attempts to get her to breathe, she started coughing and then crying… then I knew she was ok."

Thomas asked the family to rush her to the local hospital.

Maria's grandfather, Manuel Inventor, explained she wandered away from their home, located on the resort, and over to the pool by herself. Inventor found the girl floating facedown in the water, pulled her out and called for help. Hardwick, who happened to be nearby, came running to the screams of onlookers and recognized he needed the help of a trained professional.

After the child was released from the hospital and returned to her family, they contacted the Seabee unit to thank Thomas and let him know Maria was doing well.

"We are so thankful to him for what he did," Inventor said. "I realized soon after, had it not been for the U.S. forces being here in the first place, my granddaughter would not still be here."

Though the lifesaving procedure took about eight minutes, Thomas said for him, the time felt like only a few seconds.

"The whole thing was a blur, but I didn't hesitate when I heard what happened," Thomas said. "I just got my head in the zone and did what I had to do."

Thomas said he didn't feel like a hero because he was simply doing his job.

"I can honestly say this is the best birthday gift I've ever gotten," he said.

Thomas, the AFP and members of NMCB 40 are currently constructing a water well in the Sawang Barangay of Masbate province as part of Balikatan 2009.

For more news from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 40, visit www.navy.mil/local/nmcb40/.>