A 10-year-old from Yarroweyah has been hailed a hero after his quick thinking saved his mum’s life.
When Ayden Burrows woke to his mum – Helen Burrows – paralysed and severely unwell on March 26, he called 000 immediately and waited with his younger sister Mylah until the ambulance arrived from Shepparton.
And it most likely proved life saving.When the ambulance arrived, Ms Burrows was taken to Melbourne where she received spinal surgery after doctors discovered a sciatic nerve had been crushed by a prolapsed disc on her spine.
“I was really nervous and scared,” Ayden said.
The Year 4 Cobram Anglican Grammar School student received first aid training at school two weeks earlier and said if it wasn’t for that, he wouldn’t have known how to help.
Ms Burrows was shocked but grateful that her son knew what to do.
“That morning I was in the worst pain, I literally could not move,” Ms Burrows said.
“Ayden called 000 and gave them all the information they needed and I was in awe.
“Not every 10-year-old would be able to do that.”
Ms Burrows’ surgery was on March 28. She returned home the following evening.
Ms Burrows thanked CAGS for teaching first aid to the students and encouraged other schools to implement similar programs into the curriculum.
“I was very happy when she came home,” Ayden said.
The St John Ambulance First Aid in Schools Program has been delivered to CAGS students annually for the past five years and focuses on CPR and calling 000.
“As a school we were very proud of Ayden,” principal Keith Willett said.
“We need to acknowledge his calmness under pressure and ability to recollect all the things he was taught in the first aid program.
“We think the first aid course is very important and we've had some fantastic feedback around it.
“Nobody ever knows when you'll need to have those skills and this is an example of what can happen when you do.”