DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — One week after saving 2-month-old Ma'Yavi Parham from choking in late September, Lt. Kenneth Knox, of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, was honored when her parents asked him to be her godfather.
"I swear I will forever be your guardian and love you with all my heart," Knox posted on his Facebook page. "I will be there for your first day, when you graduate school and college and even what ever you want, my little angel," he wrote.
Knox first met 2-month-old Ma'Yavi when he was dispatched to the baby's home on Sept. 24. He said when he arrived at her home, the "beautiful little princess" was turning blue and fading fast. The child's parents had already tried CPR with no luck, so Knox performed reverse CPR and sucked the cereal out of her throat.
Knox said he was so worried when he first arrived on scene that he almost forgot to put his police cruiser in park.
Knox later wrote about the experience, saying Ma'Yavi began breathing again before "she smiled at (him) for a second and then started crying which was music to (his) ears."
Days after the incident, Knox posted on his Facebook page again, writing that Ma'Yavi's parents had asked him to be their daughter's godfather, which he said would be his "honor, privilege and pleasure."
His initial post has garnered praise on social media, with more than 60,000 users sharing the heroic tale as of Tuesday.
The public outpouring and support has left Knox "overwhelmed," he wrote.
Knox said the girl's parents sends him pictures and videos of her every morning. He said he expects Ma'Yavi to be close with his five grandchildren.
WSB-TV contributed to this report.
Cox Media Group
