A six-year-old boy has been hailed a hero for saving his mum’s life when she suffered a seizure by calling 999 – as well as looking after his baby brother.
Quick-thinking Tate King leapt into action when his mum Jenna, who suffers from type 1 diabetes, collapsed at the kitchen table after breakfast.
The schoolboy texted his dad Nick, 28, saying “mummy is low” – meaning she had low blood sugar – before trying to give her some Lucozade.
But when he couldn’t open the bottle cap he quickly dialled 999 and stayed on the line until he paramedics arrived as his family home.
Incredibly, Tate even stayed calm enough to look after his one-year-old brother Dawson and make sure he was safe while talking to the 999 call-handler.
Paramedics gave Jenna a glucose drip and took her to hospital but she was allowed back home later the same day.
Today, the mum-of-two, who lives with warehouse manager Nick and their two sons in Irthlingborough, Northants., said Tate was a “super hero”.
Childcare worker Jenna, 29, added: “There was only me and the two boys in the house when I became completely unresponsive.
“I had fed them and sorted the washing and I sat down and I just crashed and didn’t know what I was doing.
“He text his dad and said ‘mummy is low’ and Nick said to give me Lucozade.
“But he couldn’t physically open the Lucozade so he called 999 and spoke to the paramedics.
“He told them what was going on, all the time while looking after his brother, and stayed on the phone until they came and let them in.
“If it wasn’t for Tate calling 999 I could have gone into a diabetic coma and died.
“He is my super hero and he has been given loads of gifts.
“We are so proud of him and we are going to take him to his favourite zoo as a present.”
Jenna said they had been teaching Tate what to do if she had a diabetic seizure since he was a toddler but he has never had to dial 999 before.
She added: “We have been teaching Tate since he was about two about what to do if mummy is low in blood sugar and he stepped up to the plate.
“He has a sign up on his playroom door that says 999 with a picture of a lady asleep which we did when he was young.
“I’ve never got that low and had it to that extreme where he has had to rescue me before.
“Absolutely nothing fazes him though. He has been completely calm about it.
“He came to the hospital afterwards and was talking to the nurses and said he just did it because he ‘had to save mummy’.
“He’s so clever and good with technology. He’s all singing and all dancing and he’s such a little lifesaver.”
Year One pupil Tate has now been nominated for a Pride in Britain award and has been given a Rotary Star award by teachers at Great Addington Primary School.
Headteacher Richard Meekings said: “When I heard about it I was incredibly proud as were all of the staff.
“At the end of the day the quick actions that he took saved his mum’s life and we have nothing but pride for him.
“We’re awarding him with a Rotary Star for extreme bravery.
“He is a wonderful boy who works hard and always comes in with a smile on his face.”
Tate has also been praised by the medical director at East Midlands Ambulance Service Dr Bob Winter.
He said: “Tate was fantastic, he knew what to do and immediately acted which meant we could get help to his within minutes.
“Jenna has done a great job in teaching him what to do. We hope this encourages other parents to do the same.
“It is so important that parents sit down with their children and talk to them about what to do in an emergency.
“It can be a simple conversation about what to do if mummy or daddy won’t wake up and aren’t talking.
“A child knowing what to do can be the difference between life and death.”
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