One of the greatest pains a parent can know is the loss of a child. Courtney and Matt Bruegmann are hoping the anti-choking device they found and are seeking to donate to Fennimore EMS will keep someone else from knowing the pain they have felt.

The couple lost their youngest child, Camynn, almost two years ago at the age of nine months after he put a one-and-a-half inch ball in his mouth. Choking on the ball and unable to breath, his parents were unable to remove it from his mouth. Nor could responding emergency personnel. Even the hospital staff in Lancaster found it difficult to remove. By the time staff in the Lancaster Emergency Room got the ball out of the child’s throat, Camynn had been without oxygen for 20 minutes. Air-lifted to Madison, doctors fought to save the infant before declaring him brain-dead two days later.

Now, with another child due soon, Courtney says the experience has left it’s mark. Every small object she sees makes her ask, “Could a child choke on this?”

She does not want any other parent to feel this ongoing fear or the pain of losing a child.

“Some days it feels like it was forever ago,” Courtney says. “Other times, it’s like it just happened.”

After Camynn’s death, the young parents needed answers. Was there anything that could have saved his life? They spoke to their doctor, whom did some research on their behalf. What she found was the LifeVac.

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For the complete article, please see the Aug. 23, 2018 issue of the Fennimore Times.