Search for
Search for
Search for'I lived to see my baby girl'
Friday, November 21, 2008, 09:28
Mark Miller says he is over the moon following the birth of his daughter Daisy Annabelle.
But the 23-year-old, who was so badly beaten by three teenage thugs seven months ago that he was left in a coma at Morriston Hospital, said he was given a scare when she arrived into the world.
He feared he and partner Emma Goodchild could have lost her just minutes after she was born.
Mr Miller said: "Around 25 minutes after Daisy was born her heart rate went down to the floor — to 20.
"The midwife hit the panic button to call the paramedics — the baby was given CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation) to get the heart rate up.
"Emma and I sat with our hearts in our mouths.
"She was moved to the special care unit at Singleton for observation — her problems could have been due to exhaustion as Emma was in labour for 23 hours.
"Daisy is right as rain now."
He added: "I have come to appreciate a bit more what my family went through seeing me in the hospital.
"It's nice to see Daisy and think this is the reason why I decided to cling on — she's inspirational."
Mr Miller spent 12 days in Morriston Hospital in a coma after being repeatedly punched, kicked and stamped on so hard that the gangs' footprints were left on his body.
But he went on to make a dramatic recovery.
He has no memory of the attack, which happened on April 30 in the lane behind his Cwmrhydyceirw flat, or of his three-week treatment at Morriston.
The 23-year-old was later transferred to Wrexham's Maelor Hospital, before being discharged on June 12.
Now Mark and his 27-year-old partner are planning to celebrate their daughter's arrival with a special party over the weekend.
She weighed in at Singleton Hospital at 6lb 7oz on November 8.
He said the novelty of being a dad for the first time had not worn off.
"It's still a bit weird calling myself a parent and wearing a T-shirt with superdad on it which was sent to me by my mum," he added. "I am so proud, I can't put it into words how much my family means to me.
"I am looking forward to my dad Mick coming down to meet Daisy on the weekend and to the party."
Comment on this story