6-year-old reunites with firefighters who saved her life

By Victor Jorges

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    RIVIERA BEACH, Florida (WPTV) — There was a special reunion in Riviera Beach on Sunday afternoon.

A 6-year-old was reunited with firefighters who saved her life as a newborn.

In August 2017, Riviera Beach firefighters rescued Desire and her siblings.

Desire meets Riviera Beach firefighters who saved her life.

“I think it helps Desire start to heal and start to understand her beginnings so she can become the world changer we’re raising her to be,” Desire’s foster mother, Quiana Frye, said.

The fire ripped through the apartment in what’s now Azure Apartments. She had been born one month ago when her life was changed forever. She was sealed between a door and a little pillow.

Desire and her family visited Fire Station 88, got a tour of the facility, and got to ride firetrucks and spend time with the crew.

The men thanked her for staying strong and being a fighter, and Desire thanked them for saving her life just days after being born.

“We don’t get this opportunity,” firefighter Jason Patton, who responded to that 2017 call, said. “Normally we make the rescue, make the grab, or, on the EMS side, we bring someone back and we don’t get to have a conversation or follow up. Rewarding, I would also say. It’s an incredible moment to be able to shake this little girl’s hand.”

The fire department will also be paying for Desire’s Christmas gifts this year as another way to celebrate her bravery.

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