SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Elijah Alba, 11, was honored by the Seminole County Fire Department on Wednesday after calling 911 for help.
Fire crews said the call was dialed when Elijah’s grandmother was having a medical episode and couldn’t breathe back in December 2021.
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“I was coming home from school, and she was having trouble breathing and I wanted to call my mom, so I did, and I was trying to help her, and I saw her on the ground, so I had to call the 911,” Elijah said.
Due to his quick thinking, paramedics were able to arrive within minutes and help his grandmother, Denise Diomede.
911 dispatcher Jehn Moriarty was on the phone with Elijah for nearly two minutes and gave him instructions on what to do.
“I have kids of my own, so I just channeled by mom zone and talked to him like one of my own kids, and like I said, he was raised amazingly. You can tell that in the call,” Moriarty said.
Firefighters also honored Moriarty on Wednesday as part of telecommunicators week.
As for Elijah’s grandmother, she said she’s alive because of her grandson’s actions and she’s also thankful for the first responders who came to her rescue.
“He truly is my hero. I don’t know what to say but thank you and thank you everyone,” Diomede said.
Elijah was given a certificate and a badge from the Seminole County Fire Department and got free tickets to Monster Jam World Finals which takes place next month.