Firefighters Who Saved Toddler's Life Reunite With Him 7 Years Later

By Jeff Todd

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - It wasn't a normal visit for an almost 9-year-old boy at West Metro Fire Rescue Station 4 Saturday afternoon.

"Because they saved my life and I just wanted to come thank them for doing that for me," said Robby Smith.

"We get enough things that go wrong to have something positive even so many years later definitely feels good," said firefighter paramedic for West Metro Fire Rescue Karl Bentley.

It was March 3, 2009 when a West Metro fire truck was flagged down in the street by some good Samaritans. A 23-month-old toddler had been found face down in a small creek.

"West Metro had just left toddler resuscitation training and they flagged them down," Robby's mom Chris Smith said.

Chris became a foster mother for Robby and his siblings the day after the accident. She adopted them a few years later.

"We got him in the back of the ambulance as quick as we could, he was slippery, cold, wet," said Bentley. "We came into the ambulance doing CPR and when we arrived at the hospital we delivered him screaming so it was definitely a memorable call."

Robby was nearly dead. He spent 10 days in the hospital. A coincidental run-in with his adopted mother and a West Metro mechanic led to the reunion.

"I was really excited that they remembered because it was a big thing. It was a big thing because he was a baby and I knew it was hard for them to find a baby in that condition and then actually bring him back to life, because they did they brought him back to life," Chris said.

"I'm doing really good now and I'm really healthy," Robby said.

It's rare for firefighters to do follow ups with patients. It's even rarer to have a reunion nearly a decade later. Being able to reunite with the toddler turned pre-teen is something the firefighters and paramedics won't forget any time soon.

"Robby is the one who wanted to do it. Robby really wanted this," Chris said.

"Being able to see him here, growing up 8 years old is really special," Bentley said.

"I'm just going to probably remember this my whole life," Robby said.

His "thank you" tour isn't complete yet. The Smiths are still looking for Ralph Montoya, who pulled Robby from the creek and started CPR. Robby says he just wants to give him a hug. If you can help them reunite, email reporter Jeff Todd at jdtodd@cbs.com.

Jeff Todd joined the CBS4 team in 2011 covering the Western Slope in the Mountain Newsroom. Since 2015 he's been working across the Front Range in the Denver Headquarters. Follow him on Twitter @CBS4Jeff.