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Chicago Cop: Saving Toddler's Life 'Overwhelming'

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The police officer who saved a toddler's life yesterday is telling his story.

Officer Edward Pakula was flagged down by a couple on the Chicago Skyway Saturday afternoon when their 21-month old son stopped breathing.

"At first I thought he was just waving to somebody at the McDonald's, calling back one of his kids," Pakula said.

LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's John Waelti reports

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After pulling over, he realized the couple's boy had stopped breathing and was turning purple. He calmly laid the boy down to administer CPR.

"I gave him a quick puff of breath, he responded a little bit, but then stopped again. I did it a second time, his eyes came back, his color started coming back, and he started breathing on his own," he said.

Fire Department paramedics stabilized the boy and transported him to Trinity Hospital. He has since been released and is doing fine.

Pakula -- who has three previous life-saving awards -- calls the experience "overwhelming," and hopes to meet with the family soon.

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