The courageous aunt of the 5-month-old baby that stopped breathing along a gridlocked Miami highway recounted Friday the dramatic fight to save the boy’s life — all captured by a professional photographer.
Pamela Rauseo, 37, said instinct prompted her to check on the little Sebastian de la Cruz — who had gone from wailing hysterically in his car seat to dead silent in a moment while the two were in standstill traffic.
Nichole Lee
Adorable tot Sebastian de la Cruz who lost consciousness on a busy Miami highway on Thursday. This handout photo shows him being cradled by mother Paola Vargas, who works as a nurse at the hospital where he was taken.
“When he stopped crying, I sensed something might be wrong. It was like a gut feeling,” Rauseo told The Daily News. “I firmly believe that God somehow told me ‘you need to get back there.’’”
After Rauseo parked on the Dolphin Expressway, she discovered that the infant’s pinkish glow had been replaced with a hauntingly pale color.
Al Diaz/Miami Herald/AP
Pamela Rauseo, 37, performs CPR on her nephew, five-month-old Sebastian de la Cruz, after pulling her SUV over on the side of the road along the west bound lane on Florida state road 836 just east of 57th Avenue around 2:30pm on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014. At right is Lucila Godoy who stopped her car to assist in the rescue. The baby was rushed to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he is reportedly doing ok. (AP Photo/The Miami Herald, Al Diaz)
When Rauseo rushed out onto the Dolphin Expressway, she said knew she was racing against time.
“When I got out of my car and I was screaming for help, that’s what was going through my head — we’re losing him,” she said. “I remember pounding on the pavement saying ‘this cannot be happening.’”
Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Miami Herald Staff
Sweetwater officer Amauris Bastidas keeps a watchful eye waiting for paramedics after aiding a five-month-old Sebastian de la Cruz who stopped breathing. The baby’s aunt performed CPR after pulling her SUV over on the side of the road along the west bound lane on Florida state road 836 just east of 57th Avenue around 2:30pm on Thursday, February 20, 2014.
The two had just come from a doctor’s visit at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where Sebastian’s mother Paola Vargas, 27, works as a nurse, the aunt said.
Rauseo, who owns the Miami-based interior design firm Round321 and crafted Sebastian’s nursery, babysits the adorable tot when his mother is at work.
Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Miami Herald Staff
A distraught Pamela Rauseo, 37, reacts after performing CPR on her nephew, 5-month-old Sebastian de la Cruz, who stopped breathing as they were driving on a Miami highway. She told The Daily News that she feared for the worst when the baby lost consciousness.
RELATED: SEE THE RESCUE: MIAMI BABY WHO STOPPED BREATHING SAVED
“She trusted me with him,” Rauseo said. “I would never forgive myself if I let her down like that.”
Al Diaz/Miami Herald/AP
Sweetwater, Fla., police officer Amauris Bastidas hold infant Sebastian de la Cruz, age 5 months, who had stopped breathing Thursday. At center is the baby’s aunt, Pamela Rauseo, who performed CPR on the child. Lucila Godoy, right, stopped her car to assist in the rescue.
The courageous Rauseo – who isn’t certified to perform CPR – breathed life into the little boy twice in the span of a few minutes.
Those frantic moments were captured by Miami Herald shutterbug Al Diaz, who helped alert nearby authorities to the crisis.
Al Diaz/Miami Herald/AP
Pamela Rauseo, 37, performs CPR on her nephew, five-month-old Sebastian de la Cruz, after pulling her SUV over on the side of the road along the west bound lane on Florida state road 836 just east of 57th Avenue around 2:30pm on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014. At right is Lucila Godoy who stopped her car to assist in the rescue. At left is Sweetwater officer Amauris Bastidas who passing by and stopped to the aide the baby. (AP Photo/Miami Herald, Al Diaz)
Diaz’s haunting images show the limp baby nestled in Rauseo’s arms as she tries to bring the boy back from the brink of death.
“They’re terrifying. Seeing these images, it’s scary,” she said. “It reminds me how easily we could we lost him. How easily it could have gone the other way.”
Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Miami Herald Staff
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue paramedic Lt. Alvaro Tonanez cuddles Sebastian de la Cruz, who in this photo has noticeably gotten his color back after he’d stopped breathing Thursday. At right is the baby’s aunt, Pamela Rauseo, who performed CPR on the 5-month-old. At left is Lucila Godoy, who pulled over on the highway to help.
Rauseo said that Sebastian is at Jackson Memorial in stable condition will remain hospitalized until doctors can determine why he stopped breathing.
The quick-thinking aunt brushed back any claims that she is a hero.
Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Miami Herald Staff
Rescuers with Pamela Rauseo, 37, at center, who performed CPR on her nephew, five-month-old Sebastian de la Cruz, after pulling her SUV over on the side of the road along the west bound lane on Florida state road 836 just east of 57th Avenue around 2:30pm on Thursday, February 20, 2014. At right is Lucila Godoy who stopped her car to assist in the rescue. At left is Sweetwater officer Amauris Bastidas who passing by and stopped to the aide the baby.
“I feel like I did what I had to do. I did what anyone would have done in that situation,” she said. “It’s that simple.”
After Miami Herald staff photographer Al Diaz alerted authorities to the crisis, he captured stunning images of the frantic scene.
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