Months ago, medical staff at Oneida Health Hospital were able to save the life of newborn Emmett Ames.

Thursday morning, his family finally got the chance to say thank you.

"Honestly, it was something we've really been looking forward to; just to thank everyone that made it possible for him to still be here,” said Emmett’s father, Justin.

Emmett was just days old when he stopped breathing and was rushed to the hospital.

"When you hear the call of a 7-day-old coming in in cardiac arrest, everybody's heart rate gets racing,” says Dr. Sarah Secor-Jones, one of the doctors that was working when the infant was brought in.

After being unresponsive for some time, medical staff at Oneida were able to resuscitate him, and he was later transferred to Upstate Golisano’s Children’s Hospital.

Now, about a week away from turning 4 months old, "If you hold him up he'll try to walk, he can rollover both ways, and when we had left the hospital, they weren't sure that he was going to hit those milestones as recommended. And he's actually hitting them before he's supposed to,” said Stephanie Ames, Emmett’s mother.

Thursday’s reunion was a touching moment for Emmett’s family, and those who helped save him.

"These are the things we live for,” Secor-Jones said, “We're trained in emergency medicine, we're trained for emergencies, we're her for the worst times in people's lives, and sometimes it doesn't always end well. It's amazing to be able to be a part of his journey."

Shortly after Emmett was brought in Secor-Jones, who’s also an Army doctor, was deployed for COVID-19 relief. During that time, she still got pictures and updates about his progress.

"Honestly it's kinda what helped me through the deployment. It was amazing to see him doing well,” said Secor-Jones.