Hero next door: German instructor pilot saves baby's life Published Feb. 5, 2025 By 2d Lt Cassandra Bych 80th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Quick thinking and decisive action are hallmarks of military pilots. That training doesn’t just stay in the aircraft—it can carry over to everyday life. German Air Force Capt. Eric “DeSL” Metzner, instructor pilot in the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program, was working in his garage when he heard a commotion at his front door. A woman’s panicked screams pierced the air. “By the time I made it there, no one was there anymore. I saw wet footprints in front of the door leading to the front yard, so I followed them,” said Metzner. As he approached the scene, he saw his neighbor kneeling on the lawn, holding her one-year-old daughter, who was blue, wet and unresponsive. The mother had found her daughter face-down in the pool, not knowing how long she had been underwater. “She handed me the baby and said, ‘Help me. Save my baby, please, save my baby.’” said Metzner. He sprang into action. Directing a bystander to call an ambulance, Metzner began performing CPR as other neighbors gathered, stunned. Metzner had first learned CPR at age 16 when passing a first-aid course, as it’s a necessary requirement for getting a driver’s license in Germany. As a German Air Force pilot, he had also received additional combat-focused medical training. However, he had never learned how to perform CPR on an infant. Despite his uncertainty, Metzner set the baby on the ground and began chest compressions with two fingers. The baby spat up water. “I suddenly remembered a story that my wife had told me from a podcast or something—that if a child has something stuck in their throat, it helps to grab them by the legs and shake gently to help clear it,” stated Metzner. He did just that, hoping that it would work. The baby spit up more water and started coughing. Her heartbeat strengthened. Metzner then stripped off his shirt and wrapped the baby in it to keep her warm until the ambulance arrived. “As soon as I knew what was happening, I just went into ‘doing’ mode. I was just functioning on autopilot, and then when the stress was gone and the ambulance left, I started to feel the shock of it,” said Metzner. This wasn’t Metzner’s first time functioning in an extreme, high-stress situation. As a winged German Air Force aviator for the past 7 years, he is deeply familiar with having to manage nerves while making quick decisions. In 2020, he played a pivotal role in saving the life of another pilot who had a seizure in a flight room. Metzner credits his wife, Kasia, for helping the emergency go smoothly. While he focused on saving the baby, she cleared the road for the ambulance, brought towels to warm the baby and managed their children and dogs to ensure no interference. The Metzners have lived in Wichita Falls for the past eight years and in their current neighborhood for seven. Two days after the incident, Metzner checked on the family and found the baby healthy and recovering well. “I understand that the mother was too stressed to effectively do CPR on her own child, so she was looking for help and she definitely went in the right direction,” expressed Metzner. “I was lucky to be home.”