Preschooler's 911 Call Saves Mom's Life

by Elise Nersesian (Subscribe to Elise Nersesian's posts) Mar 5th 2009 9:00AM

"My Mommy's sick. Can you please come over here?...Can you pick her up?"

Those words from an "unusually calm" four-year-old Thornton, Colorado, boy to a 911 operator saved his mother's life after she collapsed while making him lunch.

Thomas "TJ" Roller called 911 and calmly told the dispatcher, "She's on the floor...She's on her stomach...She dropped her food." TJ also added that his mother, Jennifer Roller, couldn't speak and that, "I'm a kid."

Here's where we all need to listen up: "She told me whenever she gets sick ... call 911," says TJ. (Listen to TJ's call here.)

An emergency operator asked TJ to check if his mother was breathing, then to roll her on her back. After he answered a few questions, the boy asked him to come over again. As a reward, the heroic tot had the ride of his young life on a fire truck, courtesy of the emergency response crew that came to his mom's rescue.

"He's my little hero," Roller said. "I thank him every day."

How often do you talk to your children about what to do in an emergency? Experts say -- and TJ proves -- that parents shouldn't assume their toddlers are too young to learn how to call for help. These smart tips could save your life.

• Teach your child to use the house phone -- not the cell. Only a landline will alert dispatchers to your location. So if your child can't remember the address, help can still arrive.

• Explain that 911 a dispatcher ("the nice lady or man who will answer the phone") needs stay on the line with your child until help arrives; it's crucial that he doesn't hang up until told to do so. Plus, in a real emergency, it will help your child to hear a professionally calm voice.

• Make sure he can say (and spell) his first and last name. Dispatchers will use the child's name repeatedly as a way to stay engaged.

• Practice on an unplugged phone. You can play dispatcher and ask your child questions. Do it enough and your kid will be a pro in the event of a real emergency.

• Define what an emergency is. Use examples, such as a fire, a parent falling down, or a stranger entering your home. And if your child is unsure about what really is an emergency, tell him to listen to his gut feelings. There's a chance he may be wrong, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

For more tips on kids 911 safety, click here.

Source

Comments (35)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Shae 3-06-2009 @ 7:56AM

of all the other stories on here, this is the most positive and has no comments. unbelievable! this little boy is truly a hero. his mom should be so proud that he was able to call 911 in the event of a true emergency, and was probably the reason she lived. every parent should teach their children what to do in the event of an emergency. there are kids at middle school level who can't tell you their full name, address or telephone number. RIDICULOUS!!! you never know when you're going to have to rely on your child, thankfully this boy knew what to do.

gamom 3-06-2009 @ 9:56AM

What a smart little boy - and a prepared mother! taught my kids their telephone number (with area code) in a song. They could sing it before they were 2 years old. The bonus is that all my relatives know my number by heart from hearing my kids sing it. And my mother, who has Alzheimers, can remember my number easily too!

CinderYella-Labrador 3-06-2009 @ 1:02PM

One thing sticks out in this story. the 911 operator told the kid to roll mom onto her back. NO NO big MISTAKE...an unconscious person can have their airway blocked by the relaxed tongue and stop breathing when on their back. Plus the operator has no idea of any injury so moving the victim is a big no no ....besides what 4 year old can roll over an adult unassisted? I think that operator was stupid and/or not following protocol.

sgrbrangel 3-20-2009 @ 8:41PM

Back in 1997 I had a similar incident. My 5 year old son was home from school sick. I was sitting on the couch and the next thing I knew I was on a gurney in the middle of my living room floor. I apparently had a seizure. I had recently programmed our house phone with several numbers and posted it on the wall above our phone. When he couldn't wake me as he put it he decided to call his teacher. The school number was on that list. He called the school and asked for his teacher. The school called 911. He is now 16 years old and I still consider him my hero.

Sallie 3-06-2009 @ 8:05AM

What a good boy. Bless his heart!!

Tina 3-06-2009 @ 8:25AM

Wow just reading this made me cry, Its so great to see little kids doing/going thue such amazingly grown up situations and showing how smart brave they can be

911 Dispatcher 3-06-2009 @ 8:46AM

I am a former 911 dispatcher and these calls are wonderful and so rewarding to a dispatcher. Of course you get your prank calls but we are taught to treat them all as they are real. I am so proud of my profession but most of all children like TJ. The young man is a hero. Good Job "TJ" - I see a paramedic or a firefighter in training. :o)

Dr Linda Shelton 3-06-2009 @ 8:55AM

I am a pediatrician and a single mother with serious medical disorders. I know first hand how important it is for children to be trained what to do in an emergency. I lived with family until my son was old enough to call for help at four years. When TS was five I collapsed unconscious in the kitchen. TS my son called his grandpa who lives near us and he came over and helped us. My son as a teenager also saved my life when I stopped breathing and called an ambulance another time. I am such a lucky woman to have such a son. It is not hard to train our children to recognize an emergency and get help. Your article about this is a great public service.

sherry 3-06-2009 @ 9:05AM

Incredible at just 4. What an awesome story

Mandi 3-06-2009 @ 9:24AM

What a truly touching story. I've been working with my 4 year old son on when to call 911, and it seems to be going okay. I can only hope that in any sort of emergency, if need be, he will know what to do and not be afraid to do what need's to be done. I think this little boy is lucky to have a Mommy to teach him what to do in scary situations. God bless their family.

Elizabeth 3-06-2009 @ 9:51AM

What a hero!

Jennifer 3-06-2009 @ 10:06AM

What an amazing little boy, I wish the article would have told more of the story, like why the mom collapsed and if she had some medical condition that prompted her to talk to her kid about this or if it was just something they did. My daughter is 3 and I know for a fact she won't sit still long enough to learn, good thing my 7 year old son already knows. I taught them both their full names when they were very young in case they ever got lost but never really thought of how they could take care of me.

maxlxii 3-06-2009 @ 10:10AM

We also taught our childer to use 911 at an early age and our daughter used 911 in a couple instances while 4 years old. It is interesting to note that she an interest in medicine and she has since become a Doctor.

dkj1999 3-06-2009 @ 11:05AM

Good parenting, too. Give mom some credit. WHat an amazing little boy!

Bobby 3-06-2009 @ 11:18AM

Looks like I am the Only Male responding here but , Igree with every Comment made . We need mroe stories like this on here and WAY Less about Hollywood Losers and their Sexual Adventures and , Criminal things they do that they get away with because they got money and , what not teaching our Youth that all that Crap is ok to do . God Boy TJ I applaud you and Keep up the Good work you will be a Great Man one day

shel3251 3-06-2009 @ 12:31PM

BLESS HIM!!!!Thank God for the mom for taking the time to teach him "what to do in an emergency' and look at the wonderful results! My hats off to the dispatcher, this one and all over the world - who take on the task of helping others 'other the phone'! this truly was touching and to commenter 'GAMOM' - teaching the kids the phone number in a song was a WONDERFUL idea! This was/is a story worth sharing!!!!

Michele 3-06-2009 @ 11:34AM

My grandkids were using the remote and playing video games at 18 months. They were using a computer at age 3.

momma bear 3-07-2009 @ 6:34PM

Swell but when do they play outside and use their imagination???
Please turn off the electronics, stopver scheduling kids and let them BE KIDS!!

GRANDMOTHER OF 2 3-06-2009 @ 11:46AM

when taking a trip to san diego with my 6 1/2 yr old grandson, we did a lesson on what to do if grandma "looks funny" or can't respond. I have diabetes and sometimes it isn't managed very well due to other health concerns. He was wonderful and reminded me all the time to make sure I stayed hydrated and on top of my readings. It's amazing what a child can learn and it helps them develop confidence in a situation where they may need to keep their wits about them.

mamaT 3-06-2009 @ 11:50AM

God Bless good mothers! Great story, we need more like this.

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