Near Drowning
On May 1976, at 21 months old Kelly was at an apartment nursery and fell into the pool and began to drown. Her parents Sandy and Frank remember it as if it were yesterday. Frank Stewart, Kelly’s father, was a volunteer fireman and happened to be home the day Kelly fell into the pool. He immediately started emergency first aid on his daughter. A local doctor was on hand as well to help Frank with his daughter. It was never determined how long she was under water but she was dark blue, Frank remembers. After being in the emergency room in Montgomery for a couple of days Kelly was transferred to Children’s Hospital. Her local pediatrician had never worked with a child in this situation before and was too concerned for her life to keep her in Montgomery. Kelly’s father remembers all of the doctors and nurses waiting at the Children’s Hospital emergency room door as they arrived. He was so thankful that they were waiting for his daughter. Kelly’s lungs had collapsed. The neurologist told Kelly’s parents to be prepared to stay at Children’s for at least 3 months. After a few days Kelly began to recover. It was truly a miracle. Sandy was shocked that Kelly to this day had no major effects, no brain damage, no memory of her tragedy. Frank defines a miracle as something you should not have gotten through. Their daughter would not have gotten through this tragedy without Children’s Hospital. Kelly, now 34 years old, is thankful that she is a child of children’s. Kelly is now a mother of a 7 year old and 2 ½ year old and would not hesitate to take her own children to Children’s Hospital if they needed it. Today her parents own a pool cleaning business and Kelly has never been afraid of the water.
