'It's like God sent him to be there': Family thankful after NC state trooper saves infant's life

KINSTON, N.C. (WTVD) -- A traffic stop in Kinston turned into a lifesaving moment for a family of triplets.

The father and mother were racing to get one of their infant daughters to the hospital because she began having trouble breathing due to RSV symptoms.

Father Derrick Stroud said he drove almost 100 mph to get his infant daughter Amelia from their home to the hospital.

"I really had no words, but other than focusing on getting my baby to the hospital to get taken care of," Stroud told ABC Affiliate WCTI. "Although we knew it was the season for this stuff, we really didn't pick up on it. Other than a little cough, and that cough went from cough to a hoarse cry in the matter of three to six hours."

He said he believed he was likely to be pulled over at the speed he was going and called the stop a blessing in disguise.

"(Trooper Matthew Brown) noticed that she needed help right away and got help as fast as he could, and he knew what's best for us," Stroud said.

Brown, a former firefighter and EMT, is out of Lenoir County, and said knew he had to move quick to save the infants' life.

"When I got back there, the baby was unresponsive sitting in the child's seat. I turned her head towards me, and I could see that her lips started to go blue, and she was having a lot of trouble breathing," Trooper Brown said. He pulled the 9-week-old out of her seat and started to rub her back, keeping her awake so she could get her breathing back under control.

Mother Victoria O'Neal credits Brown with saving Amelia's life.

"Thank you so much, I cannot express how grateful I am that you were where you were when you were," O'Neal said. "From the bottom of my heart, that means a lot and I do thank you so much. I wanted to get the word out and let everybody know how much of an angel you were Tuesday to me."

Trooper Brown is a twin and is expecting twins himself next year. He said he did not need any extra accolades, he was just happy he could do his job.