2 Emergencies, 2 Child Heroes In Denton County
DENTON COUNTY (CBSDFW.COM) - There are some kid heroes in Denton County.
The youngsters may only be seven and nine years old but their quick thinking and fast action is an example of what it takes to save lives.
Mom Cindy Taylor is 30 years old and heart conditions run in her family.
"I have a heart condition called Mitro Valve Prolapse," she explained.
Five years ago Taylor was diagnosed with the condition that sometimes causes her to feel faint and pass out.
"Every time I have an episode, it gets a little worse," she said.
The thing she feared most happened April 22. With her two small children in the van, Taylor drove home after finishing playing a softball game.
"I started to get dizzy. So, I pulled over to the high school parking lot," she remembered.
When it felt like the van started spinning Taylor said, "I do remember asking God, 'Please take care of my babies,' because we were the only ones there."
Thank God for Grace, her seven-year-old daughter, who knew how to call 911. Taylor had prepared the little girl for a moment like that and explained when it happened her daughter should make the call.
The seven year old obediently picked up the cell phone sitting in the center console.
"Denton County 911. What's the location of your emergency," the dispatch asked.
Grace was hesitant at first but the dispatcher persists and gets an address.
"You're at the high school? What high school?" the dispatcher asked.
"Sanger?" Grace said.
"You're at the Sanger High School? What's going on there?" the dispatcher questioned.
"My mom doesn't feel good," Grace said to her.
Grace was able to give the dispatcher enough information for the Denton County dispatcher to send an ambulance to the right location.
"To know as a mother that your daughter, your seven-year-old daughter saved your life. It's just amazing," Taylor said.
Almost exactly one month later, on May 21, another situation brought out the best in a Denton young person.
Kasslyn Veillon and Brooklyn McClary are seven-years-old and best friends.
But when they bumped into each other on Brooklyn's trampoline, things looked bad for Kasslyn.
"She opened her eyes and she was screaming. She was like, 'Ahhh!'" Kasslyn recalled.
"'What? What?'" Kasslyn asked her. "Blood was dripping," Kasslyn said answering her own question.
Brooklyn's mom, Kelly McClary, was in the house doing the dishes that evening.
"Next thing you know, Tristan runs in and says, 'Mom, Brooklyn and Kasslyn are bleeding," she said. "I was panicked. The first thing I see is blood everywhere."
Tristan is Brooklyn's nine-year-old brother; he'd been playing on the trampoline with the two girls and two other children.
The game they were playing was like hide-and-seek, with your eyes closed.
Tristan remembers what Kasslyn looked like after the accident.
"Her whole shirt was soaked with blood," he said. "When I saw her, I thought she was going to die. Because if you lose a lot of blood you could die."
Kasslyn told Mrs. McClary she thought her neck was injured. Holding Kasslyn, she thinks she blurted out, "Call 911!"
Tristan, who'd just learned about 911 in school the week before, made the call.
"Denton County 911, what's the location of your emergency," the dispatcher asked.
"There's a little girl at our house and she's bleeding everywhere," Tristan told her.
He too gave the dispatcher the necessary information for the ambulance.
"It didn't hit me until after she was gone and at the hospital. I thought, 'Wow, Tristan made that call,'" Kelly McClary recalled.
Kasslyn ended up with four staples in her head -- to close what turned out to be a gash from Brooklyn's teeth.
As for Tristan? Kasslyn no longer thinks of him as just Brooklyn's big brother. He's a hero.
The Denton County Commissioners Court will recognize Grace and Tristan on Tuesday, June 12 at 9 a.m. Both children will receive medals as "Kid Heroes."
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