Grandpa and baby in Mur

Graz student saved a life once before

Ute Leitner once again saved the day - this time she helped a baby and its grandfather out of the Mur.

(Bild: Jauschowetz, Leitner, Krone KREATIV)

Ute Leitner (36) from Graz pulled grandpa and baby out of the ice-cold Mur: "The baby carriage was already completely submerged!"

Walking a few kilometers along the Mur in Graz - that was the plan of nurse and medical student Ute Leitner (36) on Shrove Tuesday. But suddenly she could hardly believe her eyes. "Are they going for a swim now?" were her first thoughts when she saw a man standing in the ice-cold Mur up to his navel. He had a baby in his arms and was holding the baby carriage with his other hand.

Complained of severe pain
"The baby carriage was completely submerged in the water. But the man didn't call for help. For me, that was a sign that he must have been totally shocked," she says. He desperately held out the crying, completely soaked baby to her.

At the same moment, a lady came by with her grandchild. She gave the baby to her to take him to a café where she changed his clothes. Meanwhile, Ute Leitner looked after the distraught Bosnian (51), who was obviously in shock. He can't explain why he was suddenly standing in the ice-cold Mur with his grandson, as his memory is gone due to the shock. However, he complained of severe pain.

The baby carriage was under water. But the man did not call for help. He must have been totally shocked.

Lebensretterin Ute Leitner

Shortly afterwards, the Red Cross arrived with three cars - a Jumbo, an emergency ambulance and another ambulance. The Jumbo is usually manned by volunteer medical students and doctors with a doctorate from the medical corps.

First aid knowledge saves lives
"Like me, you can train to be a paramedic there," says a young man who was on duty for the Red Cross on Shrove Tuesday, including at this incident. "It once again made it clear how important first aid is. It was important to keep the baby warm. Babies cool down much faster than adults," he reports.

As the rescue chain worked perfectly, fortunately everything turned out well. The shocked grandfather and grandchild were admitted to hospital with hypothermia.

This was not the first time Ute Leitner had to intervene. On the highway, she and other witnesses rescued a man from an overturned car that had already leaked gasoline.