Their quick thinking made a huge difference
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Summer is usually a time for vacation.
But for three Canadian children, the harrowing fires and near-death experiences in July and August forced them into action.
They became heroes and saved the people they loved.
Here are their stories.
Save your grandmother from choking
Simon Hart is on a Zoom call with his grandmother Mary Oldford, who is still alive thanks to him. (Image: Ryan Cook/CBC)
Nine-year-old Simon Hart was enjoying a visit to his grandmother, Mary Oldford, at home in St. John’s, Newfoundland, when disaster struck last July.
As Oldford took a bite of her grandson’s grilled cheese sandwich, a piece lodged in her throat and she began to choke.
Fortunately, Simon knew exactly what to do: two years ago he took a first aid course where he was trained in the Heimlich maneuver.
The Heimlich maneuver is a technique where you stand behind a person who is choking and wrap your arms around their abdomen. By applying pressure to their airway and applying pressure with your hands, it can dislodge whatever is blocking their airway—and may even save someone’s life.
In an interview with CBC News, Simon explained how he stayed cool under pressure.
“I pumped it six times and it never came out, so then I hit her on the back really hard and then I did it six more times. And finally it loosened up,” he said.
“[It was] the scariest moment of my life, definitely.”
His grandmother was impressed by how calm Simon was during the ordeal.
“That was the biggest surprise to me, was how someone could be so calm,” Oldford said.
The experience was a valuable lesson for the whole family. His mother stressed the importance of learning first aid at any age, as you never know when it might come in handy.
Saved an apartment complex from a car fire
Grace-Ellen Beaulieu stands in front of the car she spotted burning early one morning in her hometown of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. By quickly calling the police, she helped stop the flames from spreading, including to a nearby apartment complex. (Image: Rose Danen/CBC)
Grace-Ellen Beaulieu, 8, was just trying to sleep one morning in early August when she looked out her window and noticed a car on fire in the parking lot that backed into a nearby apartment complex.
“I was just scared, so I just grabbed my mom’s phone and called 911,” Grace-Ellen said in an interview with CBC News.
“My mom taught me how and if there’s something wrong or if there’s an emergency, I’ll call that number.”
Thanks to her speed, local police in her hometown of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, quickly arrived on the scene to extinguish the burning car.
While the vehicle was destroyed, Grace-Ellen’s phone call stopped the flames from spreading to nearby cars, where it could have potentially caused a deadly gas explosion.
Police thanked Grace-Ellen for her heroism. The fire captain even gave her a high five.
Grace Ellen’s mother, Farren Beaulieu, praised her daughter for her actions.
“She saved the whole building by responding very quickly with that call,” Beaulieu said. “It just tore everyone apart. We were all like, “Wow, Grace. I believe you are a hero today.
Save your family from a house fire
Eight-year-old Felix Daly, center, poses with his mother Amy, left, and an officer from the Moncton Fire Department. Felix received a special coat of arms and a gold coin in recognition of his bravery. (Image: Shane Magee/CBC)
On May 23, Felix Daly, 8, was playing on his front porch when he saw black smoke coming from his house.
Frightened, he ran to find his family who were inside and alerted his uncle to the fire.
Felix’s family — his father, uncle, brother and cousin — managed to escape through the back door before the home went up in flames about 10 minutes later.
In an interview with CBC News, Felix’s mother, Amy Daly, who was at work at the time of the accident, praised her son for trusting his instincts.
“Felix then told me that he remembered his father telling him that black smoke indicated danger,” Daly said.
The Dali family’s home is currently being rebuilt and they are living in temporary housing.
Their cat has also never been found.
In July, Felix received a certificate of recognition from his hometown of Moncton, New Brunswick.
He also received a special crest from the city fire chief and a gold coin from the Moncton Fire Department.
While the crest and coin are usually only given to firefighters, they made a special exception for Felix.
“He is a true hero and his actions will never be forgotten,” said Moncton Fire Chief Conrad Landry.
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With files from Ryan Cooke, Rose Danen and Hannah Rudderham, CBC News
TOP IMAGE CREDIT: Image Credit: Ryan Cooke, Rose Danen, Shane McGee/CBC, Graphic Design by Tamisha Harris/CBC
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