When the calls went out, they sent shockwaves in multiple directions.
For a mother, it was a horrific nightmare come to life. Panic set in, only to be followed by terror and confusion, holding onto the slimmest hope of a positive outcome.
For a first responder, it was all too familiar, as each prior incident leaves a permanent mark on the psyche. The mind immediately jumps to the worst conclusion, as that is what typically happens. But no experience makes it easier. For a period that likely only lasted a few hours but felt like eternity, the dark cloud hovered over a home in Maricopa, then traveled up to Cardon Children’s Medical Center in Mesa as it followed a 20-month-old girl and her family — and the first responders whom they would soon call heroes.
And yet, despite the odds, some sunshine started to break through.