Girl, 6, rings for help and saves mum’s life
A SIX-YEAR-OLD girl saved her mum’s life after she started having seizures at their home.
Brave Kelsie Cassidy jumped into action when mother Karen, who suffers from epilepsy, collapsed while she was getting ready for school.
The youngster refused to panic and instead found a phone and tried to call dad Tim who had just left for work.
Unable to get through, she continued to call other family and friends until she spoke to her uncle Mark Cassidy.
Mark, who works with Tim, was able to tell his brother straight away he needed to get home to Kelsie and Karen, 39.
Tim, a warehouse team leader, said: “We couldn’t be prouder of the way she handled the situation. She remained calm and knew what she needed to do.
“Without getting help quickly, Karen would have been left fitting on the floor – she could have died. When I walked through the front door, Kelsie was sitting on the floor next to Karen, holding her hand and stroking her saying, ‘It’s OK Mummy, you’re going to be OK’.
“Not only was she incredible at comforting Karen and staying calm, but she rang all the people she could think of who might be able to help until she managed to get hold of my brother.
“We’re incredibly proud of
Kelsie Cassidy with mum Karen and dad Tim. The child rang for help when Karen fell ill and comforted her while she lay on the floor
the way she has acted – she has never had to deal with that.
“It could have been much worse, but we’re just happy this all played out the way it did.”
Karen was taken to hospital where she spent four hours being assessed by doctors. They have now referred her back to the epilepsy team.
She is recovering family’s home in well at the Blackburn.
Karen – who also has daughters Amy, 21, Katie, 20, and Emily, 18, who no longer live at home – said: “I’m totally overwhelmed with how Kelsie managed the situation.
“There’s no question she saved my life and I couldn’t be more proud. She’s my hero.”
Kelsie said: “I felt a little bit sad but happy because I was looking after my mummy and keeping Mummy safe until Daddy came.”
Despite her bravery, Kelsie took it all in her stride.Tim said: “At the end, she was only interested in knowing if she could go back to school that day.”
The youngster has now been given an award at St Antony’s RC Primary School. Head teacher Heather McGowan said: “We hand out badges for pupils’ different achievements and they wear them on their ties.
“It would be very rare that we give out the special achievement award, but when we heard what Kelsie did we were so proud and it felt right to give her one.”