Applause for retired nurse who saved baby in mid-air medical emergency

'Amazing moment': Off duty Nurse was praised by the cabin for her quick actions saving baby Anjelé. Photo / Screenshot; Ian Cassette, Twitter

Mid-air medical emergencies are high stakes, none more so than one involving an infant.

On a Spirit Airlines service from Pittsburgh to Orlando Florida a baby suffered from respiratory arrest in a packed cabin.

Florida-based reporter Ian Cassette was onboard the plane on Thursday, when three-month-old Anjelé began having difficulty breathing. The parents were terrified.

The "baby stopped breathing three rows ahead of me," tweeted the reporter. It was an anxious moment and air crew conveyed little information to passengers.

Fortunately retired nurse Tamara Panzino stepped up to help.

"We didn't know the outcome until we saw the smile on everyone's faces," he told a Fox News report.

Massaging the baby's chest and clearing its airways, she was able to resuscitate the child.

Sharing a video of a healthy Anjelé being held by her parents, the cabin erupted in rapturous applause for Panzino.

Panzino says she is normally not "one to jump into drama" and was hoping another medical professional would be onboard the plane. Having recently retired from nursing she had been heading on holiday to Florida.

"When you have to step forward and do what's right, you do it," the nurse told the TV station.

On my flight back from Pittsburgh to Orlando, a baby stopped breathing three rows ahead of me. Thankfully a nurse (Tamara Panzino) was able to get the baby to breathe again. (1) pic.twitter.com/6oDgFCG7FS

— Ian Cassette FOX 35 (@iancassette_wx) September 9, 2022

Cassette a weather reporter for Fox 35 said the parents "praised the positive energy of the plane and the heroic actions of Tamara"

Cassette applauded the quick reactions of the Spirit Airlines crew.

After it was clear the medical emergency was under control, the decision was taken not to divert for an emergency landing. The Spirit Airline flight touched down seven minutes ahead of schedule.

In a statement seen by Fox News, Spirit Airlines praised the quick thinking of the crew and nurse Panzino.

"We're currently gathering information to learn more. We thank our crew and guest for the quick response. Our Flight Attendants are trained to respond to medical emergencies onboard and utilise several resources, including communicating with our designated on-call medical professionals on the ground, using onboard medical kits, and receiving assistance from credentialed medical professionals travelling on the flight."