Watch CBS News

San Ramon Girl To Be Honored For Helping Ill Mom, Calling 911

SAN RAMON (KPIX 5) -- A fourth grader from the East Bay will be honored for her heroism this week after calling 911 and helping her mother when she suddenly became ill.

At San Ramon's emergency dispatch center they're used to getting frantic calls for help. But last month, one caller was remarkably calm.

Eight-year-old Alexa Hile Lewis, who goes by the name Lexi, was at her grandmother's when her mom became violently ill. Two other adults were in the house, but it was Lexi who made the call. Dispatcher Robert Vega was on duty at the time.

Full Audio Of 911 Call:

Lexi: "She's like throwing up really bad."

Dispatcher: "Ok, alright, I'll stay on the phone with you right now."

Lexi: "And like sometimes, she was like falling and fainting…"

Dispatcher: "She was falling and fainting?"

Lexi: "A little bit."

The eight-year-old stayed completely calm as she passed on instructions from the dispatcher.

Dispatcher: "Tell her to take some nice easy breaths."

Lexi: "Mom, he says take nice easy breaths…she says she's trying."

Dispatchers said because kids don't always understand the gravity of a situation, they sometimes do a better job reporting emergencies than adults do.

Lexi: "I told her that I was going to call the ambulance so she wouldn't get scared."

Dispatcher: "Oh, good, OK."

"They're very honest. They'll tell you exactly what's going on," said 911 dispatcher Jennifer Peters. "They don't over-exaggerate things. They don't under-exaggerate things. They don't get as frightened as adults do in stressful situations."

The San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District puts a lot of effort into educating kids, visiting every class, every year, up through the fifth grade. They don't want kids to be seen and not heard. But that's probably not going to be a problem for Lexi.

Dispatcher: "You're so grown-up!"

Lexi: "Thanks. My mom always says that, um, I sometimes act like I'm a grownup."

Lexi's mother is home from the hospital and doing well. Both Lexi and dispatcher Vega will receive a 911 Heroes award at the State Capitol in Sacramento on Thursday.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.