Ventnor Ptl. Blake Ballen and Sgt. Marc Franco with Magdalena Berger, baby Sunny O’Leary, 2 months, and Olive O’Leary, 2 years.
By NANETTE LoBIONDO GALLOWAY
VENTNOR – For delivering exceptional service to the community, the Board of Commissioners Thursday, July 27 honored two of Ventnor’s finest.
Sgt. Marc Franco Jr. and Ptl. Blake Bollen received citations for outstanding performance during the course of duty with their assistance delivering a Sunny new life to Ventnor.
The officers assisted resident Magdalena Berger, 34, with her unexpected delivery of a baby boy at her Harvard Avenue residence. Police received a 911 ambulance request at 3:55 p.m. Thursday, May 11 stating a female was in labor. The two officers arrived to find the baby was on his way into the world before Mom could be brought to the hospital.
Commission Tim Kriebel presents officers with Citations for Outstanding Performance on the job.
Berger said her contractions were seven minutes apart, and with each pain thought she would wait until her contractions were closer together before leaving for the hospital. Then came the urge to push and the frantic 911 call for immediate assistance. Police arrived to assist with the delivery and members of the Ventnor City Fire Department transported mom and baby to the hospital.
Baby Boy Sunny O’Leary, now 2 months old, attended the meeting to see his guardian angels receive their citations, along with Big Sister Olive O’Leary, age 2. Sunny and Olive’s Dad is serving in the U.S. Coast Guard and was unable to attend the presentation.
Berger said she was grateful the officers were able to bring Sunny into the world safely.
“Delivering a new life is special and you did it under extreme circumstances,” Mayor Lance Landgraf told the officers, calling them “heroes in the community.”
“Day after day you provide essential services to our neighborhoods to help us stay safe. We appreciate you more than you guys know,” Landgraf said. “You are now both tied to this young family forever.”
In a release shortly after the delivery, Ventnor Police Chief Joseph Fussner called the delivery a unique experience in the life of police officer.
“It’s not every day our officers get to be a part of such a special moment. The dedication and ability to stay calm in an extraordinary situation speaks volumes of Ptl. Ballin and Sgt. Franco Jr.,” he said.
Det. Lt. Lindsay Sochocky of Ventnor PBA Local 97 presents Magdalena Berger with a gift bag.
Commissioner of Public Safety and Public Affairs Tim Kriebel presented each officer with a citation that will be a permanent part of their work record.
Det. Stephanie Lamain of the Ventnor PBA Local 97 presented the family with a gift bag, including a little Minnie Mouse doll for Olive.
“It’s something I’ll never forget. Thank you guys,” Berger said.
Olive accepts a gift of a Minnie Mouse doll.
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