Five-year-old Ellie Mae Lefebvre of Crossfield was at home from school when her father began seizing. Read More
Her parents had taught her what to do. “Make sure that he’s in a safe spot and tell 911 to get here fast,” Ellie Mae recited.
Her parents had taught her what to do. “Make sure that he’s in a safe spot and tell 911 to get here fast,” Ellie Mae recited.
Article content
Five-year-old Ellie Mae Lefebvre of Crossfield was at home from school when her father began seizing.
Article content
Article content
Her mother, Rebecca Taylor, was not yet home from work and the only others at home were her baby brother and the family dog.
Article content
But Ellie wasn’t afraid. “Not at all,” she said.
Article content
She had seen her father, Martin, have seizures before and watched how her mother handled them, ever since she was two, Taylor said.
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
Her parents had also taught her what to do if she was ever in a situation where she had to respond.
Article content
Noon News Roundup
Article content
“Make sure that he’s in a safe spot and tell 911 to get here fast,” Ellie recited.
Article content
And that’s exactly what she did on Wednesday, March 26.
Article content
Article content
“Ellie pressed the button that we have from Telus security, and it alarmed the first responders,” Taylor said.
Article content
“And they called my husband’s phone, and she answered and told them that she was home with her dad and he needed help, and stayed on the phone with them and got them here and situated everybody.”
Article content
It took only five minutes for the paramedics to arrive, during which Ellie stayed with her father and her sleeping baby brother.
Article content
Now she has received a certificate of bravery from the Calgary police, along with flowers, a gift certificate and badge stickers from the RCMP.
Article content
The certificate, Ellie said, is in her room but she plans to show it to her friends.
Article content
Taylor said she was “relieved and proud” of her daughter’s actions.
Article content
“I never wanted that to happen,” she said. “But I always wondered what would happen if that unfortunately happened when she was home with him, so it was a relief to know that she handled herself well.”
Article content
The incident is a “great reminder to parents to have that conversation with your children,” the Calgary Police Service said in a release. “It is so important to teach children what to do in an emergency. Because Ellie knew what to do, her Dad is still with them today.”
Article content