VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A 7-year-old Virginia Beach boy is being honored for his quick thinking after helping his mother during a medical emergency at their home.
Zayden Curran Herndon was recognized by Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate for his actions on July 21, when his mother, Kailene Curran, had a seizure while preparing breakfast for her children.
Curran said her daughter was sitting in a high chair when she had the seizure, causing her to knock over the chair.
Zayden immediately picked up his sister, reassured her that everything would be OK, and called 911.
He stayed on the phone with emergency dispatchers, remained calm, and provided the information first responders needed to get help to his mother.
“He is definitely worthy of the praise and recognition of our community,” Neudigate said.
Curran said she has a history of seizures and has previously talked with Zayden about what to do if an emergency occurs.
“We’ve practiced a lot just because we never know if and when it’s going to happen,” Curran said. “Calling 911 isn’t a game, but he needs to do it in case of an emergency.”
Curran said she was proud of how her son responded.
“I think he did phenomenal, so we’re super, super proud of him,” she said.
Neudigate credited Zayden’s parents for making sure he knew how to respond in an emergency.
“We thank the parents, we thank everybody that makes it possible for someone at 7 years old to know what the right thing to do,” Neudigate said.
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