Firefighter Reunites With A High School Graduate He Saved 18-Years Ago [VIDEO]

WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

18-years ago a firefighter, Charlie Hefman, found a new born baby in a cemetery and turned the baby over to paramedics. Fast forward 18-years since that cold morning in Champagne, Illinois and now the two are meeting each other for the first time after a graduation ceremony. 

Skyler James was abandoned by her mother in a cemetery on a cold winter morning in Illinois. Luckily, an anonymous call to 911 notified authoties that a baby had been abandoned in Mt. Hope Cemetery. That is when Mr. Hefman, who was off-duty at the time, heard the call come across his police scanner and decided to go out and help locate the new born.

Hefman responded to a different cemetery, which was nearby Mt. Hope Cemetery, and after police and rescue could not locate the baby, he found her covered in blood and leaves.

At that moment he took the baby, who was clinging to life, to paramedics and never saw her again---until now.

Five days after being rescued, baby Skyler was adopted by Bonnie and Greg James. The parents made several attempts to find the man that had rescued Skyler, but had no luck. That being until they found him one day on Facebook.

Without telling Skyler, Bonnie invited Charlie to Skyler's high school graduation and the two finally got to meet under better circumstances. The little girl Charlie saved 18-years ago was now graduating and beginning her adult life.

Charlie says that Skyler's story was the inspiration behind the "Save Haven Law" in Illinois. Like in other states, this law allows parents to drop of newborns at a hospital, fire station, or police station if they do not wish to raise their child and not face repercussions.

To read more about what Skyler and Charlie had to say about their reunion, visit WLOX-TV.