Phoenix comes to sick mum’s rescue

When Hannah Lloyd felt her throat closing up, she knew she was in trouble.

She was having a severe allergic reaction, and was the only adult at her home in Taita, Lower Hutt.

It was Saturday night. Her partner, Matt Dorward, was at the cricket with his teenage son, and the only other people around were her 5-year-old stepson and 11-yearold daughter, Phoenix.

She croaked out a call for help, and Phoenix came running.

‘‘I said to Mum, ‘What’s going on?’ and she said, ‘I think I’m having a reaction.’ ‘‘

Lloyd has multiple severe allergies, including one to antibiotics. She was on antibiotics for an infection in her arm, and was taking drugs to counteract her normal reaction.

However, when she took the medication on Saturday, it didn’t work.

She started itching. Not long after, her throat closed up and she was scared she would stop breathing.

Phoenix had never imagined she would have to call 111 for her mum.

She had seen her have allergic reactions before, but never like this.

‘‘My brain said to myself just call the ambulance and it would be all over,’’ Phoenix said.

‘‘My heart was racing really fast, but the lady on the phone sounded really happy. She was really excited. I must have been the only person to call in that night and I was thinking, ‘This was not a time to be excited.’ ‘‘

Phoenix was passed on to someone else who coached her through the situation.

She also ran to her neighbours’ house to ask for help, and looked after her mother for the six minutes it took for the ambulance to arrive, as Lloyd injected herself with an EpiPen.

‘‘Six minutes seems really long,’’ Phoenix said.

Dorward came home just as the ambulance arrived, and was able to take over.

‘‘We’re just really proud of Phoenix. She did the right thing,’’ he said.

Phoenix attends weekly training sessions with St John Ambulance, and her mother has talked to her about her allergies and how to use an EpiPen.

She called Phoenix her hero. As for Phoenix, she’s been thinking she deserves a new kitten, or even a horse, for her efforts.

PHOTO: ELEANOR WENMAN/STUFF Matt Dorward, Phoenix, and mum Hannah after Phoenix saved her mother from a severe allergic reaction by calling an ambulance.