Tw ins aged 4 help save granny’s life
A FOUR-YEAR-OLD boy and his twin sister helped save their grandmother’s life after she fell unconscious while looking after the two siblings.
Seán O’Sullivan leapt into action when his grandmother Ruth Clarke would not wake up at their home in Clonakilty, west Cork, at around 6am on February 25.
The twins’ parents, Brian and May O’Sullivan, were away at the time, having gone to a concert in Tralee, Co. Kerry, and Ms Clarke had been babysitting them.
But when Seán got up, he was unable to wake his grandmother.
He tried to rouse her, along with his sister Emma, but their efforts proved to be unsuccessful.
As Ms Clarke lay unconscious, the brave little boy kept his head and calmly searched for her mobile phone.
She had previously taught him how to play games on it.
He managed to locate the numbers stored on the phone for his mother May and his grandfather Stephen Clarke, who lives nearby. When Seán spoke to his mother, he repeatedly screamed down the phone at her that ‘I can’t wake Nanny, I can’t wake Nanny’.
When the child’s grandfather Stephen dashed around, Seán discovered he couldn’t reach the lock to open the door for him.
He quickly grabbed his tricycle, put it up by the door and climbed up onto it to reach the lock.
His grandfather then rushed in and made a timely 999 call.
By the time paramedics arrived, Ms Clarke – who suffered a suspected seizure – was still unconscious and was at risk of permanent brain damage.
She subsequently spent two days in a coma.
The exact cause of the seizure is unknown but she is making a full recovery.
Medics later praised the little boy for his rapid response to the situation and said that if he hadn’t acted as fast as he had, Ms Clarke could have died.
The child’s grandmother, who was taken to Cork University Hospital after the incident, also heaped praise on the youngster for his quick thinking.
‘I can’t believe that Seán did what he did,’ she said.
‘He saved my life. He called his mummy and said, “Nanny is not waking up” and he called his granddad. He got me help.’
Yesterday, Seán and his sister Emma, who also assisted in the rescue mission, were both awarded medals for their bravery at the Fernhill Road pre-school Naíonra in Clonakilty, which they both attend.
Dr Jason van der Velde of West Cork Rapid Response, who himself has saved dozens of lives over the last number of years, was guest of honour at the event along with the community Mayor of Clonakilty, Gretta O’Donovan. They jointly presented the bravery medals to the twins.
Later, grandfather Stephen said of little Seán: ‘He is only four. A very bright kid.’ He said that after responding to the call, ‘I didn’t know what to expect, I didn’t know if she was dead’.
And Seán’s mother May O’Sullivan said: ‘I was certain my mum had passed.
‘One of the things the doctors said to us is that she would possibly have been brain damaged.’
She added: ‘It is a little fouryear-old who had the presence of mind to understand that it is an emergency, that Nanny is not just doing a good sleep. There is something wrong.
‘He picked up a cell phone. How do you thank a little four-yearold for having the sense to pick up a phone? He is going to get a very good birthday present this year from everybody.’
‘I was certain my mum had passed’