Canadian mom Monique Ruppel says her 1-year-old baby girl's unusual behavior in the wee hours of one Friday morning ultimately saved her family's lives.
Ruppel wrote a Facebook post on January 17 about a recent frightening experience in which carbon monoxide leaked throughout her home. It was, amazingly, her daughter, Celia, who sent a warning to her parents without even realizing.
"This precious little angel did something extraordinary," the mom wrote. "Something she will not fully understand until she is grown. She literally saved our lives. Celia typically wakes once per night. We always get up with her and help her back to sleep. On Friday at 3 am she stirred for the second time. I attempted to make my way to her room but only made it a few feet before being completely overwhelmed with vertigo."
Ruppel and her husband, Kyle, immediately realized something was wrong, the mom explained on Facebook. They both experienced dizziness, headaches, nausea and burning eyes and their baby girl began vomiting.
"We packed a bag and woke Celia. She began vomiting and as I held her my cat collapsed at my feet," Ruppel wrote.
They called Kyle's parents and they arrived in time to help just before he collapsed, she added.
The family was taken to a hospital and treated for carbon monoxide poisoning and then airlifted to Vancouver where they underwent oxygen therapy in a Hyperbaric Chamber -- equipment that helps a person's blood carry more oxygen to their organs.
In an interview with Canada's National Post, the Ruppels said their four cats and two dogs were home at the time of the leak and they were also treated and recovered from the incident.
In the comment thread of her Facebook post, Ruppel indicated that the leak was caused from an issue with their furnace.
"It's completely shot and a new one is on its way in!" she wrote.
And now the mom is using this incident as a warning for all families about the dangers of carbon monoxide leaks. Ruppel told the National Post that they previously did not have carbon monoxide detectors in their 26-year-old home.
"Please ensure you have a Carbon Monoxide detector and that it works. We are so thankful Celia woke us. We often wished she would sleep through the night but we do not feel that way any more. Our sweet sweet baby saved us all," she wrote.
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