LISTEN to the heroic 999 call from a Telford toddler which helped save mum
The parents of a four-year-old boy who dialled 999 to get help after his mother collapsed at their Telford home have spoken of their pride in his actions.
Jacob Onions found his mum Gemma unconscious in the kitchen where she had fallen and hit her head on the floor.
Mrs Onions, 33, who suffers from an illness which can cause her to lose her balance, said she was lost for words when she listened to a recording of the phone call Jacob, who has speech and language difficulties, made to the police.
"I was not very well on the day that it happened and I could feel my legs buckling. I was in the kitchen and I went over on to the floor and hit my head on Jacob's ride-on car," she said.
"The next thing I recall was Jacob on my phone talking to the call handler, but I didn't know what he said until I heard the recording for myself and it left us all in tears. It was very emotional listening to him. My husband, Steve, was out, but he and his mother Beryl realised I wasn't right that day and came rushing in at the same time that the two police officers arrived to check on me and Jacob after he made the call.
"The officers were great and kept talking to me and played with Jacob to keep him occupied until the ambulance crew arrived.
"I can't praise them enough and I want to thank the emergency services for what they did because they were all really understanding.
"The children between them have phoned for help when I've become unwell previously, but this was the first time that Jacob picked up my phone and found the keypad to press 999. I had a similar fall seven months ago and he pressed the correct 'emergency services' number listed under my contacts list.
"We're so proud of him. I can't find the words to express it. He's absolutely my hero."
