Young Nurse Helps Save a Severely Burned Baby's Life, Meets Her Again 38 Years Later

Scars – we all carry them, whether on the outside or inside, and sometimes those around us can help us heal these wounds. One woman wanted to find her healer, but if they met, would it be all she imagined?

At only three months old, Amanda Scarpinati fell into a steam vaporizer, which resulted in acute 3rd-degree burns. Consequently, she wrestled with reconstructive surgery that lasted many years.

Meanwhile, scarred by these burns she incurred when she was only an infant, Scarpinati was subject to extreme bullying.

[Left] Susan Berger cradling a baby Amanda Scarpinati; [Right] Susan Berger and Amanda Scarpinati hugging. │Source: facebook.com/HugnKiss77 youtube.com/Inside Edition

QUIET CONVERSATIONS

However, pictures of the loving nurse who saved her after being severely burnt, holding her as a baby, brought her a sense of comfort.

Scarpinati used to talk to the snapshots, which were released in an annual report by Albany Medical Center. But, hopes that she could converse with her guardian angel in person were scarce -- or so she thought.

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PUTTING IT OUT INTO THE UNIVERSE

In 2015, the then-38-year-old New Yorker decided to see if she could have this conversation in real-time, taking to social media in the search for her mystery caretaker. Sharing the pictures, Scarpinati partially penned:

"I would love to know her name and possibly get a chance to talk to her and meet her. Please share as you never know who it could reach."

While hopeful, it was not likely that the post would truly connect her with the nurse. However, 24 hours in, it became viral. Then, she received a message that changed her entire life.

A BREAKTHROUGH

Keeping the messenger anonymous, Scarpinati shared the exchange on Facebook, with the individual sharing that she was close with the nurse – Finally, revealing a name: Susan Berger.

A local news station managed to find Berger, who remembered the little one. The two were able to meet face to face, and 38 years after, the nurse held the woman in her arms.

HEROES DON'T ALWAYS WEAR CAPES

Sometimes, meeting our heroes can be underwhelming, but for Scarpinati, it was the complete opposite, ecstatic that she finally got to meet Berger. She expressed:

"I really didn't think it was ever gonna happen. I mean, you're searching for someone, and you've got a name. I just had a face.[sic]"

The nurse, who was only 21 years old when she looked after Scarpinati, was also taken aback, stating that the little one was one of the first infants under her care. She noted that the infant was a peaceful and trusting baby.

Susan Berger and Amanda Scarpinati hugging.│Source: youtube.com/Inside Edition

BREAKING OUT OF HELL

There are many ways that heroic actions can manifest. Carlyle Smith was one of the catalysts in rescuing siblings who were kept in cages by their adoptive parents, among other forms of abuse.

Smith visited the Gravelle home in 2003, noticing many issues that left him uneasy. This included the adoptive parents referring to the children as "monkeys." On top of this, one of the children asked if he could use the bathroom and was denied.

He reported the abuse, along with other individuals who did the same, and eventually, the children were able to escape the horrific home.

Several years later, two of the siblings met Smith on the "Dr. Phil" show, where they all cried and hugged each other.

Nurses, firefighters, or just regular people -- we need to look out for one another because you never know the impact you may have on someone's life if you take a moment to care.

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