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Texas teen revisits Austin firefighters who saved her life 18 years ago
Back in 2003, Captain Edward Roel, Captain Brandon Jennings, and two other firefighters with the Austin Fire Department saved Lily’s life when she was born at home in cardiac arrest.
AUSTIN, Texas - It was a reunion 18 years in the making at a fire station in South Austin. Lily Dashner got the privilege to re-meet two very special firefighters who saved her life.
Back in 2003, Captain Edward Roel, Captain Brandon Jennings, and two other firefighters with the Austin Fire Department saved Lily’s life when she was born at home in cardiac arrest.
"It was one of those calls that just kind of stuck with us for a long time, and still does," said Roel.
A day not only Lily is thankful for, but also her mom, Crystal Webb, who can remember it like it was yesterday.
"I had just given birth, but I remember thinking I just gave birth to a dead baby," said Webb.
Webb says it was the most traumatic experience of her life. She says she is extremely thankful for the firefighters who stepped up to save her daughter.
"What they do matters and it makes a huge difference in people's lives. I am sure that my daughter would not be here today if it weren't for people showing up to help us when we needed it," she said.
Now 18 years later, Lily is about to graduate high school, but she still has not forgotten those firefighters. Even on her prom day, she made sure to make a pit spot at fire station no. 2. The station where it all started.
"If this never happened to me, I would not be as strong as I am today and would not have pushed myself as hard as I have," said Lily.
The firefighters, who attended a few of her birthday parties when she was a baby, say they are happy to reconnect with Lily and see that she is doing well.
"Firefighters, they go to work every day doing their job, so to have one come back to, you know, that you get to see kind of progress through life and everything when it didn't it didn't look like it was going to be that kind of ending. That’s great," said Jennings.
As lily continues her life and goes to college, she says she will always remember one thing.
"Engine number two will live with me for the rest of my life," she said.