'Superhero' Clare boy, 5, receives bravery award for prompt action after mother collapsed at home

Ben Holland from Killaloe to be presented with medal from national Ambulance Service for his 'calm' response to the emergency

Sat, 28 Oct, 2023 - 12:36

Jack White

A five-year-old boy from Killaloe, Co Clare, has received a bravery award from the National Ambulance Service (NAS) for his heroic actions when his mother collapsed at home last month.

Ben Holland’s mother Jennie said she was still in shock at how he handled the incident.

“He's a typical little five-year-old boy, he's a messer and a rogue. The fact that he did this blows my mind, I didn’t even know he knew our address,” she said.

A year ago, Ms Holland was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which impacts heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing.

“Anytime I change position, my heart rate goes through the roof, and my blood pressure drops, which causes me to faint and black out,” she said.

One Saturday last month, Ben and his mother were home alone, enjoying a “lazy day” watching movies.

“When I stood up, I completely lost consciousness. It wasn't like my usual fainting, I went completely out cold,” she said.

Ms Holland fell forward onto the ground and having seen people lift his mother’s legs in the past to encourage blood flow, Ben tried to do the same but could not turn her over.

Emergency call

Acting swiftly, five-year-old Ben got his mother’s locked phone and held down the two exterior buttons to make an emergency call.

Ben’s parents had shown him how to open a locked phone in the case of an emergency, while his grandmother had been telling him his address “over and over” in case he ever needed it.

Although not being sure if he had actually been listening, that day in September quashed any doubts.

Dispatchers on the phone asked Ben if he would open the door for gardaí who were closest to the house, to which Ben said: “She doesn’t need guards, she needs doctors.”

When asked if he would go to his neighbours to seek help until paramedics arrived, Ben told the dispatcher he was not allowed to be out in the dark on his own as he is “only a small child”.

Ben Holand with his classmates after he received his bravery medal.

Ben’s mother was unconscious for about nine minutes, with gardaí arriving within 12 minutes of his call being made.

Ben had told the dispatcher everything, including that his mother suffered from POTS, and even which door to use when they arrived.

Ms Holland spent the night in the hospital, while Ben’s grandmother stayed with him.

Although Ben showed incredible bravery, he was affected by the experience for a few days, not wanting to leave his mother alone in case it happened again.

Ms Holland said the call from the NAS about the medal of bravery made the experience less scary for him, shining a light on his bravery rather than the experience itself.

'Superhero'

“His little five-year-old self came back,” she said adding he was ecstatic to be getting a “badge” and that he was like a “real superhero”.

Ben’s story has spread awareness, with parents coming to Ms Holland saying they had since shown their own children what to do in case of an emergency.

NAS community engagement officer Jonathon Lynch said the responding team were “particularly surprised” at Ben’s actions.

Kieth Mullane, Assistant Chief Ambulance Officer Midwest, and Dan New, Advanced Paramedic presenting Ben Holland and parents Joe Holland and Jennie Kiely with his NAS bravery medal.

“We were advised of Ben’s incident a number of weeks ago by the local team who attended the call and they were particularly surprised at how calm and controlled Ben was,” he said.

Mr Lynch said the award also raises awareness of the importance of recognising emergencies among young children, and how to react.

Mr Lynch credited Ben’s family as well as St Michael’s Infant School for highlighting what to do in emergencies.

“We’re very proud of Ben, and we’re delighted that we’re able to recognise him,” he said.

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