By Paul Knoppe
The Deseret News
OREM, Utah — Rosa Coronado has talked with her son many times about how to get help in an emergency.
That probably saved her life Monday when 10-year-old Anthony saw his mother losing consciousness in a diabetic episode and called 911.
“I just wasn’t my usual self” Monday morning, said Coronado, 29, who has been insulin-dependent for six years. So she asked Anthony to stay home with her instead of going to school at 9:30 a.m. as usual.
Shortly after 11 a.m., she took a turn for the worse and started producing so much saliva that she lost the ability to communicate with her son. Realizing something was seriously wrong, he quickly called 911 as Coronado blacked out.
“He did that by himself,” Coronado said. “The next thing I realized, paramedics were there surrounding me. I’m just proud he did the right thing.”
Upon arrival, paramedics inserted an IV line and revived Coronado, then had her son give her a glass of orange juice to boost her blood sugar.
“Had the son not called 911 and directed emergency personnel to his home, the outcome could have been much worse,” said Orem Police Sgt. Craig Martinez. “Rosa could have passed away.”