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'He's gotten a little taller' | Paramedic reunited with boy she helped deliver 10 years ago

A paramedic was reunited with the boy she helped deliver.

GASTONIA, N.C. - Gaston County EMS relaunched its week-long summer kids academy, where more than 60 children learned how paramedics save lives and, in one student's case, helped begin lives.

Holly Armstrong gave birth to her son, Ben, more than 10 years ago in an ambulance on the side of the road with the help of a Gaston County paramedic. Fast forward to 10 years, Ben is now one of the camp's participants.

Armstrong said she was having early signs of labor so she and her husband, Kevin, raced to Gaston Memorial Hospital (now known as CaroMont Regional Medical Center).

"Halfway there, my water broke," Holly recalled. "Baby crowned and we started driving like mad people."

"And then I hit a curb," Kevin said. "Blew out both left tires in my car."

As they were stuck at the intersection of New Hope Road and Ozark Avenue, they saw an ambulance coming in their direction.

"I crossed the yellow line and cut it off to stop it," Kevin recalled.

Susan Nalley was inside the ambulance and after Kevin explained his wife's emergency, she jumped out and placed Armstrong onto a gurney.

"We weren't able to go onto the hospital even though we were so close because she was so close," Nalley explained.

Armstrong had to give birth in the back of the ambulance with Nalley being especially careful because the umbilical cord was around Ben's neck.

But after a few pushes, Ben Armstrong entered the world.

After that day, the family and Nalley went their separate ways with Nalley retiring in 2014.

The Armstrongs would take Ben back to the intersection he was born at as often as they could.

When Gaston County EMS rebooted its kids academy for the summer of 2018, the Armstrongs signed Ben up.

"I happened to put on Ben's application, 'by the way, he was born with you guys so thank you, and if you happened to know who did it, we'd love to say thank you,'" Holly said.

After the first day of camp, the Armstrongs and Nalley got to finally meet for the first time in 10 years.

"It's wonderful. It's good to see him," Nalley said. "He looks a little different now. He's gotten a little taller."

"This lady saved my baby," Holly said as she wrapped her arms around Nalley. "She saved my baby and I'm eternally grateful."

For more information on Gaston County EMS' kids academy, visit their Facebook page.

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