Maryland Boy Credited With Saving Pregnant Mom's Life After She Collapses In Home
BALTIMORE (WJZ)-- An Aberdeen boy is being credited with saving his mother and unborn sibling's life after his mom became critically ill.
WJZ sat down exclusively with the family about the heroic call he made for help and the person on the other end of the line that walked him through it.
It was a tall order for many adults, and certainly for 5-year-old Matthew Wehr to step up in time of crisis.
There are a number of things you can expect from a 5-year-old. Being full of energy and showing off toys may not surprise you, but how about being labeled a hero.
"If I had been left there and he didn't know to call somebody, I very well could have died," said mother Patricia Mansfield.
Matthew was at home with his six-month pregnant mom, when out of the blue, she collapsed just outside the kitchen.
"I don't remember getting there," she said.
Her blood sugar had dropped to dangerously low levels. Matthew made a call to his step-dad, who then called 911. When 911 called back, no one answered.
Somehow little Matthew was able to call 911 back, the dispatcher who took his call, was exactly the person he needed to hear from.
"Well, her tummy started hurting and then she fell," Matthew said on the 911 call.
"And she's not taking to you at all? We're sending an ambulance to come look at your mom," the dispatcher responded.
"She told me to unlock the door, but I couldn't," Matthew said.
"He couldn't get the door unlocked, he tried, he really tried, but he just couldn't do it," said dispatcher Maria Bebber.
Bebber stayed on the phone as the EMS broke down the door to get in.
"He's probably seen movies where people bang on the door and it's not the good guys so I did tell him 'it's OK they are the good guys,'" she said.
Patricia says she has very little recollection of the ordeal, but what she and everyone else seems to know is her son is a genuine hero. Even if he's too modest to admit it.
"Batman flies, I don't do that," Matthew said.
"He was the type of caller at the end of the call you just wanted to reach to him and give him a little hug, ya know?" Bebber said.
Matthew is very likely to receive a special commendation for his heroic actions.
Patricia, now aware of her medical condition, is taking medication to prevent another scare. Her baby is due in March.
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