24/03/2026
Parents Elisha and Michael paid an emotional visit to our Middlesbrough store with their 13-month-old son Blake to thank security colleague Molly for saving his life when he stopped breathing.
First aider Molly is friends with the family and was chatting to Elisha and Michael as they were leaving the store when Blake suddenly turned blue and went limp. Molly did chest compressions, while her colleague Mason called 999. She said: "It's all a bit of blur really, I can't even remember doing the chest compressions but I did. I just went into automatic mode and got on with it. Blake started breathing but he wasn't awake so I tapped him on the chest to wake him up, and gave him a little shake. He opened his eyes, then the ambulance came a minute later. It was such a relief when he started to breathe again. It wasn't that long – about three minutes – but to me it felt like hours. The paramedics took him into the ambulance straight away and then onto hospital."
Blake spent a few days in James Cook Hospital and was treated for a number of viral infections before he was allowed home. Once he had recovered Michael and Elisha brought him into the store to see Molly. She said: "I cried when I saw him, as seeing him was so overwhelming. I'm just so relieved that he's okay."
Elisha, said: "I can't thank Molly enough for what she did. Nothing in this world will express how grateful I am. I'm grateful too for everyone else who helped us as well. Everyone was just so responsive and helpful."
