Police officer comes to 2-year-old’s tea party a year after he saved her life

On July 26, 2015 at 2:14 p.m., Officer Patrick Ray of the Rowlett Texas Police Department was on his lunch break when he received a 9-1-1 call.

Taking the call meant he saved now 2-year-old Bexley Norvell’s life. It also means he had a tea party to go to on July 17.

“It was something that I just couldn’t turn down because I knew it was going to be really special for her mom and Bexley,” Ray told ABC News about the tea party. “I have two boys, so I don’t get to do that type of stuff you do with a little girl. She’s a sweetheart. She’s my best friend.”

Bexley had been swimming at home with her siblings and mother, Tammy Norvell, on that day in 2015. Norvell started putting her children down for a nap when she noticed Bexley’s lips were blue and she had gone limp. Bexley had swallowed a penny when her parents weren’t looking.

“We had no clue she had swallowed anything,” Norvell told ABC.

It only took Ray 27 seconds after he arrived at the home to save Bexley’s life.

“I heard (Ray’s) siren and ran out the front door. He’s grabbing her from me and is trying to pry her mouth open with two hands.,” Norvell said. “He did the finger sweep into her esophagus and a penny dropped down into it. That’s when we heard the most beautiful sound of her squeaking and coughing and crying.”

Now Ray is a close friend of the family, Norvell told ABC. The tea party — which a photo shows is complete with tiny table and chairs, tulips, Oreos and fruit loops — isn’t the first party he’s gone to with Bexley.

“We saw them for Thanksgiving, we had Christmas together, he came to my kids’ parties,” Norvell said. “I feel that I have no words, even after a year. I hold (police officers) all in high regard, but there's no way to repay (Ray). I want to portray that image, that they have a softer side. If we can change one person’s image of police officers, then the world can only be better.”

This story was originally published July 29, 2016 at 7:33 AM with the headline "Police officer comes to 2-year-old’s tea party a year after he saved her life."