Stranger’s Comment Saves Florida Newborn’s Life: Inside Details

An unusual encounter between the mother of a newborn and a stranger at a Florida theme park leads to a life-saving diagnosis for the six-month-old.

Conformable ABC News, In July 2024, Sarah Love and her husband Micah went to a theme park near their home in Lake Alfred, Florida for the first time with all six of their children.

During the visit, Love noticed a man looking at his six-month-old son, Lincoln. At first, she didn’t think much of it, but when she passed the man again, he stopped and made a life-saving revelation about his son.

The 35-year-old mother told Good morning America, “He introduced himself (as a firefighter) and mentioned he was the first responder. He said he noticed Lincoln and how jaundiced he was and he didn’t want to scare us…but he thought it might be a good idea for Lincoln to get medical attention.”

Love said that instead of feeling scared, she felt “reassured” because the strangers’ comment confirmed the symptoms she was also noticing.

After speaking with the stranger who identified himself as a first responder, she called a pediatrician, and on the doctor’s recommendation, took her son to a local hospital for blood work, where, after examination, he was transferred to Lincoln at a specialty hospital, Nemours Children’s. Orlando Hospital.

Four weeks after meeting the stranger, Lincoln’s parents learned that their son had a genetic disorder that primarily affects the liver and heart called Alagille syndrome.

Love, in her message to the stranger, said: “I don’t think there are enough words that can honestly describe how grateful our family is. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. It was a hard thing to go through, but because of that little thing he did, look at how much of an impact it had on Lincoln and our family. I just want to thank you.”

Of note, according to the National Institutes of Health’s Center for Genetic and Rare Diseases, Alagille syndrome is a chronic, lifelong condition that affects fewer than 50,000 people in the United States.