Professional Advisor Network member saved her baby's life with CPR

Doctors suspected Merrie Webel’s baby might be born prematurely, because of a blood clotting disorder Merrie has. But when baby Heidi arrived, Merrie was still overwhelmed by the amount of medical intervention that happened all at once.

First, there was Heidi’s health. Because she was born early, before her lungs could fully develop, she spent six weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and needed CPR from the medical team twice.

Then, there was Merrie’s own heart health. She had developed pre-eclampsia in the final month of pregnancy, and during childbirth she developed an irregular heart rhythm called left bundle branch block.

“The left side of my heart now beats slower than the right side,” Merrie said.

It’s a permanent condition that she is continuing to see a doctor for.

Despite her own health challenges after delivery, Merrie took advantage of every infant class the hospital offered while Heidi was in the NICU – including an infant CPR class taught by an American Heart Association CPR trainer.

“All of the classes were helpful,” Merrie said, “but the CPR class was most important to me because of Heidi’s respiratory issues. I actually took it twice for the extra practice.”

After six weeks, Merrie was finally able to take Heidi home. Her daughter weighed just under four pounds. For the first time, the two were together with no heart monitors, breathing tubes, CPAP machines or other devices between them. Merrie was terrified.

“I would just sit there and watch her constantly, just watching her breathe,” she said.

Merrie was bracing herself for an emergency, and just a week after bringing Heidi home, her nightmare scenario happened. “She was in her bassinet and she had stopped breathing,” Merrie said. She immediately gave CPR, and thankfully, Heidi started to breathe normally again.

Merrie was able to save her daughter’s life because of the infant CPR class she’d taken at the hospital. “Thank God that class was offered,” Merrie said. “I waited forever for Heidi and she’s here. I don’t think I could have survived losing her.”

Merrie has become a strong advocate for learning CPR, and her experience has inspired many people in her network to take a class, from fellow members of her church, to members of her Harvard alumni volunteer group.

She also loves to tell people about another way she’s been involved with the American Heart Association – as a member of its Professional Advisor Network. The Professional Advisor Network supports advisors, attorneys and other professionals with free estate and charitable gift planning solutions, professional development opportunities and resources that can help clients meet philanthropic goals while supporting the lifesaving research of the American Heart Association.

“I’m a trusts and estates attorney, but my focus is charitable giving. I discuss the benefits of charitable giving and planning with every client because it’s a win-win situation for both the charity and the client,” she said. “I think the American Heart Association is wonderful and I believe more people need to know of all the good things it does and programs it offers.”

Merrie experienced the impact of the American Heart Association’s research long before she used CPR to save Heidi’s life. Her parents, Ida and Fred, both survived heart attacks during their lifetime. Her dad also experienced a stroke, and was able to make a full recovery because her mother recognized the stroke symptoms and called 911.

Heidi is now another branch of the family tree who can continue to grow because of the Heart Association’s lifesaving work. She is a curious, active and healthy baby.

“What the American Heart Association does is for everyone,” Merrie said. “It’s not just for those who have suffered from a heart attack or are elderly. It’s helping a wide span of people and it’s helping babies.”

Heidi celebrated her first birthday in May 2026. After she promptly covered her party dress in birthday cake, Merrie changed her into her new favorite onesie – one that’s covered in little red hearts.