8-year-old watched in horror as mom went into life-threatening septic shock — but he knew he had to do two things instantly to save her
Many times, showing courage in scary situations can take a person a long way. Nonetheless, no one had expected an eight-year-old boy to stay strong when he saw his mother collapse because of septic shock. He not only kept his calm, but also called for help that eventually ended up saving his mom's life. The boy, Jacob Varley-Issitt, didn't leave his mom's side at any point during the harrowing incident, per Leicestershire Live. So, the town of Loughborough decided to honor the boy in a special way.
The boy's mom, Hollie, experienced septic shock as a complication of sepsis. It happened all of a sudden and there was nothing she could do at the moment. Septic shock is the most severe stage of sepsis, per the Cleveland Clinic. It can lead to dangerously low levels of blood pressure and requires immediate medical attention. Fast heart rate, hypothermia and chills are some of the symptoms of septic shock. Hollie didn't know that her son Jacob, would know exactly what to do and would step up to save her life that day. Jacob called emergency services and stayed by his mom's side as he waited for the ambulance. He also let them in quickly so they could check on Hollie.
The mom had gotten better after the incident that happened back in October. "He'll never know how grateful I am that he called the ambulance for me, but he knows how proud I am of him for being such a brilliant boy." She told the BBC, "He told me he was scared, but he held my hand and sat with me until the ambulance came. He was watching it the whole time; he didn't take his eyes off me." The boy's grandma, Tracey, ended up entering him in the Light up Loughborough competition organized by Charnwood Borough Council, per Leicestershire Live. The winner gets a chance to light up the Christmas lights of the town and Jacob ended up winning for saving his mom's life.
"Jacob was such a brave boy. His mummy wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for him, so I’m so happy I entered him into the competition and even happier that he’s won this opportunity. He’s our superhero," Tracey remarked. Hollie was also really proud of her son's accomplishment. "Jacob is a star and I couldn’t be happier for him. It’s going to be fantastic when he switches on the lights." Jacob had been to the "switch-on" last year and was glad to have the opportunity to be the one to do it this year, per the outlet.
"It was a big shock to find out that I had won the competition. I went to the switch-on last year and there were a lot of people there. I’m really looking forward to switching on the lights in front of my family and friends," Jacob expressed. It was also a big moment for the family because the boy's dad, Chris, had switched on the lights back in 1988 when he was just four years old. "I was shocked but so pleased to hear that Jacob had won the competition and it brought back a lot of great memories. He’s following in my footsteps and that fills me with pride. He’ll do an amazing job and I can’t wait to be there to see it," Chris went on.