What should have been an ordinary drive home turned into a scene of terror for a family of eight when sudden explosions and clouds of tear gas engulfed their SUV. Within seconds, visibility vanished. Smoke poured into the vehicle. Panic set in as the family realized they were trapped inside, doors jammed and air turning toxic. In the back seat, their six-month-old baby began to struggle.
As the gas seeped through the car and breathing became difficult, the infant lost consciousness. His tiny body went limp in his mother’s arms. Somehow, amid the chaos, the family managed to force their way out of the vehicle. On the sidewalk, surrounded by confusion and sirens, his mother laid him down and began CPR. Seconds felt like hours.
Witnesses say she refused to stop — pressing desperately on his small chest, calling his name, begging him to breathe. Then, a gasp. A cry. Life returned.
Paramedics rushed the baby to safety, later confirming that he survived. But survival does not erase what happened. The family says the trauma of that night lingers — the sound of explosions, the suffocating smoke, the terrifying stillness when their child stopped breathing. Investigations are ongoing into the circumstances that led to the explosions and the deployment of tear gas in the area. For now, the family is focused on recovery — grateful their baby is alive, yet forever marked by the horror of those moments. One breath saved him. One mother’s determination brought him back.