Calm Under Pressure: Airman’s Quick Thinking Saves Infant’s Life

A Quiet Sunday Turns Urgent

What began as an ordinary autumn Sunday quickly became a life-or-death moment for Air Force Senior Airman Hannah Lillund. Relaxing at home on Kapaun Air Station in Germany, she suddenly heard panicked cries echoing through the stairwell: “Help us! She’s not breathing!” Without hesitation, she bolted downstairs barefoot and still in her pajamas.

A Terrifying Emergency

Air Force Senior Airman Elena Lucas and her husband, Mason Edlin, were desperately trying to save their 9-month-old daughter, Eumi, who had abruptly begun choking. One moment she was playing happily; the next, she went silent, wide-eyed, and unable to breathe. Lucas called for emergency services as they raced outside shouting for help — a cry Lillund immediately responded to.

On her way down, Lillund crossed paths with her own children, who were already racing to alert her. She and her husband, Tanner, sprinted toward their neighbors’ door, each taking a role: he searched for emergency responders while she went straight to the infant in distress.

Skill, Composure and a Life Saved

When Lillund arrived, Lucas was still attempting back blows, panic rising. Lillund stepped in calmly, asking, “Can I see her?” With a few firm taps, saliva burst from the baby’s mouth and her color began returning. Within seconds, she was breathing again.

“It was like watching a miracle,” Lucas said. “She came down so calm — like she’d done it a hundred times.”

Emergency services arrived within minutes, finding Eumi stable and breathing normally.

Training That Makes the Difference

Lillund credits her quick response to the training she received in security forces school, where performing under pressure becomes instinct. For the Lucas-Edlin family, that instinct made all the difference.

Today, baby Eumi — the first girl born at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center this year — is back to her cheerful self. And one family is deeply grateful that the right person was home at the right time.