Amanda Scarpinati spent decades cherishing an old black and white photo of a nurse cradling her as a baby.

It was 1977 that the photo was taken at a hospital in New York after Amanda had suffered a serious accident. Amanda, then just 3 months old, fell from the sofa into a hot-steam humidifier and was left with third-degree burns. In the photo, the little girl’s head is wrapped in gauze as a nurse does her best to comfort her.

Over the next few years, Amanda endured several operations and was bullied by her classmates because of her appearance.

Whenever Amanda was having a terrible day, she would pick up the black and white photo of the nurse – it brought her comfort knowing that there was once a person who cared so much about her.

Amanda kept hoping that she would one day be able to find her guardian angel. She searched for 20 years, before eventually turning to social media for one last try.

Terrible baby accident

Amanda Scarpinati was just a 3 month old baby when she fell into a hot-steam humidifier, leaving her with third-degree burns. She was rushed to Albany Medical Center, New York in an ambulance, and was there cared for by a team that included a particular young nurse.

Amanda recovered from the incident, but was sadly subjected to endless bullying throughout her childhood because of her burns.

“Growing up as a child, disfigured by the burns, I was bullied and picked on, tormented,” Amanda told AP. “‘I’d look at those pictures and talk to her, even though I didn’t know who she was. I took comfort looking at this woman who seemed so sincere caring for me.”

Amanda hoped that she would one day be able to find the nurse that had comforted and taken care of her during that tough time. After a 20 year search, with no luck, Amanda turned to social media. She shared the black and white photos on her Facebook page, writing: “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.”

Post goes viral

Her post spread like wildfire, and the very next day she received the message she had long been waiting for. Angela Leary, who had worked as a nurse at the hospital that same year, recognized her colleague Susan Berger. Susan was 21 at the time and had just finished college. She had also saved the photos and had never forgotten the poor baby with the burns.

“I remember her. She was very peaceful,” Susan remembers. “Usually when babies come out of surgery they’re sleeping or crying. She was just so calm and trusting. It was amazing.”

Not long after, the pair had an emotional reunion, 38 years after meeting for the first time when Amanda was a helpless baby.

“I don’t know how many nurses would be lucky enough to have something like this happen, to have someone remember you all that time,” Susan said.

“I feel privileged to be the one to represent all the nurses who cared for Amanda over the years.”

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