Teresa Dietz almost died 45 years ago after she accidentally swallowed some of her mother's pain medicine when she was 18 months old. If it hadn't been for a Maryland State Police trooper who gave her CPR on the way to the hospital, Dietz might not be here, reports the Baltimore Sun.

The past few years, the mother of three and grandmother of two has been thinking quite a lot about that day her life almost ended prematurely, but it wasn't until last week that she had the opportunity to share her gratitude in person.

Dietz, who was then Teresa Vickery and living in Aberdeen with her parents, attended a meeting of the Troopers Association Lodge 96 on Sept. 27 at Chop Stix in Forest Hill, where she finally met the man who saved her – George "Howdie" Reith.

Dietz presented him with the article from a newspaper about the incident 45-plus years ago, along with a letter she wrote him. And then she thanked him.

"I feel gratitude, for doing what he did. People like him who are out there every day to watch over us and be there when they're needed," Dietz said earlier this week. "I just really appreciate it so much, what he did, because I probably wouldn't be here."