8-year-old was 'really worried' when her dad just 'started shaking' — her 'exceptional' 911 call left cops impressed
It is crucial to teach everyone to call out for help, especially in unprecedented times and during emergencies. An 8-year-old girl named Adriana Wailes luckily knew how to fetch help when her dad, John Wailes, was in dire need of it, per The Sacramento Bee. The man suddenly started feeling off and his daughter noticed that he was behaving unusually. When she saw that he began shaking, she realized that his condition was concerning and didn’t hesitate to recall everything she had learned to get help. Her brave response is being commended by many.
The South Metro Fire Rescue in Centennial shared the story of how things unfolded that day. John shared that he was a former military man and due to the many toxins and chemicals he was exposed to during his service, he developed many cancers and pulmonary diseases. Adriana and John were home alone when the dad’s condition started to look off. Her dad noted that he was going to take his medicines and then “lay on the couch.” As they were seated, she started to feel the couch shaking. “I looked to my dad, like, ‘Do you know why the couch is shaking?’ and then I saw that he was the one shaking,” she recalled.
The 8-year-old heard her dad “mumbling.” “This was my first ever seizure so I really had no idea what was going on,” John recalled. He tried to tell her daughter to call 911 but before he could say anything, he lost his voice and could only make sounds. Adriana already knew what to do — She immediately called 911. For her age, she brilliantly carried out the call, describing the situation as best as possible to the dispatcher. “My dad is shaking,” she said to Steve Smith, who was on call. As he noted her address, he hoped to comfort and calm the girl and understand John’s situation so he could guide her further.
When Smith asked for details, the girl responded, “My dad has brain cancer and he just started shaking.” As she spoke to the dispatcher, her voice started to sound frantic. “I’m really worried,” she confessed to Smith. The dispatcher, in turn, was sure to let the girl know that she did her job just right. “You did the right thing, I’m going to get the paramedics over there, don’t hang up okay,” he said. What followed next was the dispatcher trying to get as many details from Adriana as possible to ensure the first responders knew what they were heading into.
The dispatcher did a brilliant job of explaining the medical terms in a simpler manner so she could accurately share information. “I need you to watch his breathing closely. Tell me if his chest rises out loud,” Smith told the girl. She did just as she was told, effectively giving the dispatcher an idea of his heart rate. The dad didn’t know anything that was happening as he lost consciousness soon after the seizure. “The next thing I know, I woke up in the back of an ambulance," he remarked. His daughter had taken over and she did well.
“Her ability to stay calm under pressure, to communicate the details, as a father, means a lot to me. It shows that moving forward, as she grows into a young lady, I can have confidence in the person that she's going to become,” John remarked. John was later treated and discharged from the hospital on the same day. “This call was exceptional,” Smith said, astonished by Adriana’s composure. He noted how he didn’t even think it was a child when he answered the call because of the calm she had. A little into the call, the dispatcher figured there might be a younger person on the line and asked her age. “I couldn't believe it,” he remarked. “I’ve never had a call where an 8-year-old was so calm and her demeanor was so level-headed. It was amazing,” he added.