12-year-old girl hailed a hero after saving family from carbon monoxide poisoning

Kids often possess a remarkable ability for quick thinking in various situations. Their agile minds enable them to come up with creative solutions, adapt to unexpected challenges, and make decisions on the spot. On May 23, 2023, the city of Fort Worth, Texas and firefighters honored Jaziyah Parker. She is 12 years old and yet she quickly noticed that her family was falling ill and called 911. She realized something was not right when her mother and brother began passing out.

"Something wrong with my mama. Can you hurry up and come?" Jaziyah said to the fire department in a call. They have also released a recording of it. The fire department said in a statement to ABC that if Jaziyah had not called them, her family would not be alive today, as per Good Morning America. 

"At first, they were acting normal and when I came back to my room, they started screaming and throwing up and stuff and they started to pass out," Jaziyah said. Carbon monoxide can be very dangerous as one cannot taste or see it. As for Jaziyah's family, the firefighters revealed the family had left their car open in the garage and this led to poisoning.

"When a car is running in an enclosed environment, this is why people are more at risk of carbon monoxide exposure," emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist Dr. Stephanie Widmer said. "Realizing [carbon monoxide poisoning is] what's going on is something that's very difficult. So that's why carbon monoxide detectors are vital. They're so important," Widmer added.

Her mom and sisters sat in the first row as she received the honor from Fort Worth City Council Member Chris Nettles and Fort Worth Fire Chief Jim Davis, as per NBCDFW. "We're here celebrating life today and the reason we're celebrating life today is because of a 12-year-old," said Davis who gave Jaziyah a plaque for her steady mind and quick thinking in a life-threatening situation.

Davis also discussed the importance of having a carbon monoxide detector inside our homes to protect us during such emergencies. "I started throwing up, anytime I feel sick, I get in the tub or the shower always," said Ariel Mitchell. "So I was running water so I could feel good, I started throwing up, started feeling more sick, and woke up to an ambulance in my face, I had no idea what was going on." The mother adds, "I'm the one who is supposed to protect [my children]. It's like I was the one getting protected by them."

In a similar incident, a girl saved the life of her brother when she saw him unwell in their school cafeteria. Amelia Loverme saved her brother Charlie after he choked on a piece of mozzarella cheese at Leicester Middle School. She helped him as she saw him choking on a table near her in the school cafeteria. She made use of the Heimlich maneuver, according to the PEOPLE.  

"It was just instinct, I didn't really know what to do, I just feel like I had to help him," Amelia said. The incident was captured by a surveillance camera, where Charlie was seen near the lunch tables as he held his chest and walked for a bit. His friends did not know what to do and stood still. But his twin sister saved the day with her quick response.