At a Glance
- Mia Bates, 7, called 911 after her dad fell down the stairs and lost consciousness on January 14
- She stayed on the line until paramedics arrived at their Lynwood, Illinois home
- The Village of Lynwood praised her calm response and plans to honor her at an upcoming city council meeting
- Why it matters: A first-grader’s quick actions turned a medical emergency into a life-saving success story
On January 14, Xavier Bates, a 41-year-old railroad conductor, was coming downstairs in his Lynwood, Illinois home when he missed a step and crashed head-first onto the stairs. The impact knocked him out cold.
His daughter Mia, age 7, was the only other person in the house. She found her father unconscious on the floor and immediately dialed 911.
“She’s a smart girl and brave,” Xavier told ABC station WLS in a joint interview with Mia.
According to the Village of Lynwood, Mia:
- Stayed calm under pressure
- Relayed critical information to the dispatcher
- Let paramedics inside when they arrived
Local officials credited her composure with making “all the difference.”
Xavier said he simply tripped. “I missed a foot or something and fell and hit my head,” he recalled.
Mia admitted the ordeal rattled her. “It was, like, a little scary,” she told WLS. Still, she never hung up the phone until help reached the house.
Xavier believes his daughter saved his life. The Village of Lynwood issued a statement on January 17 praising her “quick thinking” and detailing how her actions directly aided first responders.
Mia’s motivation was straightforward: “He needed to go to a hospital where he could get better. I’m glad the ambulance helped him,” she said.
The first grader now plans to attend the next city council meeting so she can personally thank the paramedics who treated her dad. She summed up her role matter-of-factly: “I was brave.”
News Of Los Angeles first reported the story.
