Whereas T&T regularly comes into the glare of the international spotlight for violent crimes, murders, guns and drugs, it has recently made news for a positive “feel good” story of a Trinidadian doctor who saved a child’s life after he nearly drowned. Trinidadian obstetrician Dr Sherene Kalloo was on vacation with her husband, Dr Varma Deyalsingh, at an all-inclusive resort on the north coast of St Lucia in January with their twin sons. They were celebrating the children’s tenth birthday.
On the fateful day of January 16, after having lunch on the beach with her children, Kalloo took them to the kiddie pool where there was a water-slide area. She sat at the poolside supervising her children and observing the other guests who were mainly from Europe. Barely a minute had passed when, suddenly, she heard people screaming a boy’s name, Dylan, and frantically asking where he was. People were jumping into the water and eventually pulled a little boy from the bottom of the pool.
Kalloo said he was not under for more than a minute or two before his parents missed him as they were also at the poolside. She said instinct took over and she ran to see what she could do while trying to keep an eye on her own children. Kalloo said the child was completely blue, and when she checked for his vitals he was not breathing and there was no heartbeat.
Kalloo said she was pushed out of the way by an employee of the resort who attempted to administer first aid to the child. Annoyed by the employee’s handling of the child, which might have done more harm than good, she said she pushed him aside and announced that she was a doctor and took charge of the situation. She said physicians were trained to try and resuscitate no matter what.
Kalloo said the boy’s father, James Spence, a deep wreck diver, noticed that she knew what she was doing and how calm she was, though everyone else seemed to be in shock. Kalloo said she started to do chest compressions on the child. After the fourth compression, Dylan started to bring up water and food. Kalloo said she instructed his father on how to administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
The little child then started to cough and opened his eyes. That was a miraculous moment, Dr Kalloo said. Speaking to the Sunday Guardian from her office at Plaza Aranguez on Friday, Kalloo said that it was divine intervention. God gave her that gift at that moment to be present, to enable her to give something back to society. Kalloo said, “There I was from little Trinidad, Dylan had just turned three in December and his parents are from the UK, and I literally saved his life.
“It was such a wonderful feeling. His parents kept saying words cannot express how grateful they were because it wasn’t just their child’s life was saved but theirs too. “The near-fatal tragedy would have affected so many families and to me it was just something that felt good. “It was nice to see the same little boy who was lifeless running around happily the next day, to know that I could’ve done that for a family because living without your child you cannot get used to.”
Kalloo said the management of the resort thanked her profusely for what she had done, even offering she and her family a free stay at their convenience. She said she did not want anything in return; it was just a wonderful moment that she would remember. Kalloo said T&T had been getting a lot of bad press and the country had appeared in a bad light, especially with the murders of the German couple Hubertus Keil and Birgid Keil and attacks on British nationals in Tobago.
She said not much was heard about the positives being done by Trinidadians. Kalloo said she delivered babies on a daily basis, bringing life into the world, but saving Dylan’s life was a different experience and not one she would usually experience, even as a doctor. She said this affirmed her faith in God and a message was being sent to all those non-believers out there that everyone, no matter who, makes a difference in life, once they believe in God.
Parents: Word can’t express how grateful we are
Responding via e-mail to the Sunday Guardian on Saturday from their Bedfordshire home in England, Dylan’s parents, Helen and James, said, “Obviously, it is very difficult to put into words how grateful we are, and how lucky Helen and I feel to have our Dylan home safe and in one piece. “On the day of Dylan’s accident, I vividly remember Dr Sherene running to Dylan’s side and starting to perform chest compressions and asking me to continue giving mouth-to-mouth.
“I also remember the words ‘I am a doctor’ and never having felt so relieved in all my life. “She was a very calming influence in the most stressful situation of my life. Her professionalism and experience shone through and definitely helped to save Dylan’s life. “It is impossible to put into words the gratitude we feel towards Dr Sherene but I am sure any of your readers with children will understand.”
