Prince William was on hand this past Monday to honor 2017’s Pride of Britain award recipients. The event celebrates everyday heroes who have done something remarkable for others.
One of its youngest honorees was 5-year-old Suzie McCash, a bright little girl who won the Child of Courage award for her brave actions. As seen in the video down below, Suzie was happy to engage the royal in a lively conversation.
You’d think she would be awestruck by meeting a duke, but it seems like roles were reversed in this cute moment caught on film and shared by the Daily Mail. Prince William wanted to know more about how Suzie handled her harrowing situation, so he crouched down to chat with her.
Last November, Suzie, then just 4, called 999’s emergency services about her mom, Rowena. It was just the two of them home at the time and something was terribly wrong. Rowena, who has a severe allergy to salicylates, could not breathe and had collapsed onto the sofa.
As mom slipped in and out of consciousness, Suzie calmly described her mother’s symptoms to the dispatcher. She explained that her mother was okay before but then was feeling poorly. She also told him that her medication was not working.
When asked if she could open the door, Suzie answered “I can’t really reach the lock, but I’ll have a go.” She did it! Paramedics arrived, stabilized Rowena, and transported her to a local hospital. According to an interview with BBC, one of the emergency workers was astounded by Suzie’s demeanor:
“When we arrived, Suzie made a beeline for me and gave me possibly one of the most professional and succinct handovers regarding her mum that I have ever had. From a child, it blew me away.”
The local police department praised Suzie for saving her mother’s life. In the face of a life-threatening emergency, she knew what to do and remained calm through it all. And her parents still don’t know how she managed to open the door!
This tiny hero’s story struck a chord with Prince William who’s been inspired to teach his own 4-year-old son, George, about how to handle an emergency. Totally impressed with Suzie, he told her:
“I have a four-year-old called George and if I gave him a telephone, I do not know what he would do.
Do you know what, I’m going to have a conversation with my George about what to do because of what you’ve done – it’s really important.”
Listen to the sweet exchange by clicking on the video below. It’s not uncommon for adults to freeze or lose it when calling in an emergency, so Suzie’s ability to keep her composure while providing accurate information is commendable.
Ironically, she wants to be a paramedic when she grows up. It looks like that would be a perfect fit. And now that he’s gotten tips from a pro, Prince William can confidently teach his little one all about how to make a 999 call.
What do you think of Suzie’s heroics and Prince William’s reaction to meeting her? At what age did you teach your child about emergency situations?
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