Mother Loses Consciousness from Epileptic Seizure, Saved by Quick Action of 3-Year-Old Son

Felt Dizzy, Sat on Sofa and Lost Consciousness
Three-Year-Old Unlocks Smartphone and Calls for Help

The story of a three-year-old child who saved his mother after she collapsed from a seizure in the United States has captured public attention. On October 16, Yonhap News, citing international media outlets such as ABC7, reported that in Michigan, a three-year-old boy calmly responded in a potentially dangerous situation and saved his mother’s life. The incident occurred on October 9. At the time, Chantel Woods was preparing a meal at home when she began to feel dizzy and sat down on the sofa, only to lose consciousness. She had recently been diagnosed with epilepsy. The only other person at home was her three-year-old son, Cody, making the situation potentially life-threatening. In this perilous moment, Cody calmly picked up a smartphone and held it up to Woods’s face, unlocking it using facial recognition. He then made a video call to Kaya, a friend of Woods who lives nearby.

Chantel Woods and her 3-year-old son Cody Woods. WXYZ

At first, Kaya thought her friend had called her, but she soon realized that Cody was the one making the call. Cody repeatedly said, "Kaya, help my mom, help my mom." Kaya recalled, "I was shocked, but I was so relieved that Cody knew what to do in that situation." Kaya immediately ran to Woods’s house and contacted the fire department.

Fortunately, Woods received medical attention and made a safe recovery. Over the past few months, Woods had experienced more than 20 epileptic seizures, and Cody had witnessed several of them, learning how to respond. In an interview with WXYZ, Woods said, "I still cry. Cody is my hero," adding, "He is such a smart child. I am so proud of him." The local community is calling him a "young hero" as he approaches his fourth birthday next month. Some people have even promised to give him free ice cream for the rest of the year. Michael Bouchard, the Oakland County Sheriff, emphasized, "This incident is a good lesson that we should talk to our children in advance about what to do in emergencies," and added, "The most important thing is that his mother is alive."

Meanwhile, epilepsy is a chronic condition that can affect anyone and is one of the three major neurological diseases, along with dementia and stroke. It is estimated that 370,000 people in South Korea suffer from epilepsy, which affects people of all ages and is the second leading neurological disease after stroke in terms of reducing life expectancy.

In particular, sudden epileptic seizures are sometimes mistaken for cardiac arrest, leading to unnecessary cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and causing secondary harm. For epilepsy patients, it is crucial to check the patient’s breathing and pulse before performing CPR.

Cardiac arrest is characterized by the heart stopping, no pulse, cessation of breathing or very weak breathing, and often no return of consciousness after a seizure. However, during an epileptic seizure, the pulse is usually maintained, muscles may stiffen or convulse, but breathing often recovers within 10 to 15 seconds. Therefore, emergency guidelines for epileptic seizures recommend staying with the patient until the seizure ends and, if the person is unconscious, laying them on their side.