As a Girl Scout and a Safe Sitter®, one could say Gabrielle was double prepared to deal with an emergency.
Gabrielle, 12, or "Gabby", took Safe Sitter® at her local Girl Scout council in Georgia, where her mother, Keisha, was her troop leader. According to Keisha, Gabby was excited to babysit and loved being a big sister after being an only child for years.
However, Gabby didn't use what she'd learned to help her younger sibling. She actually came to her mother's aid.
One summer morning, Keisha told Gabby that she wasn't feeling well. Keisha attributed the feelings to her pregnancy so she kept her plans to go shopping with Gabby and two-year-old son, Gabriel.
While in line at the pharmacy, Gabby noticed Keisha staring and then beginning to fall. Keisha, who's had seizures for the past five years, takes medication that typically prevents them.
"I knew I needed to keep her from hitting the floor," said Gabby. She had seen one of Keisha's seizures before but this was the first one she'd had in public.
Gabby called out for the pharmacist as she and a woman in line helped Keisha gently to the floor. Gabby then instructed the woman to call 911.
"I remembered to stay calm. Taking Safe Sitter® really helped me to know who to call and what to do," said Gabby.
When EMS arrived, Gabby told them her mother's medical history, what medications she takes, her allergies and who to call - all while holding her younger brother. "He was so quiet and scared. I had to hold him the whole time, Gabby said.
Keisha only remembers waking up in the ambulance. "After a seizure, I'm missing a piece of time," said Keisha, who worried most about her children. After the scary episode, Gabby sat in the ambulance next to her mother and brother, who was in his car seat.
Keisha said, "I kept saying 'I'm sorry' but it was Gabby who was reassuring me and trying to calm me down. Afterwards, everyone who helped told me they've never met such a young lady who was so calm and knew what to do."
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