A Girl's Call for Help

"Our mom just fell down, and we don't know what to do." 

That's what Alexandria Corbeil told the dispatcher who answered the 911 call on December 17, 2009.  

It was close to dinner time, and Alexandria's mom, Melissa, suddenly collapsed while cleaning up. Alexandria, then 7, and her younger siblings, Ryan, 4, and Savana, 2, heard the "boom boom" and found their mother passed out face down near the dining table. 

There were no other adults at home for Alexandria to run to.  She had to figure things out by herself—and fast. 

Actually, Alexandria knew exactly what to do: call 911.  

"Hello, this is Alexandria Corbeil," she announced when the dispatcher picked up her call. 

On the tape of the 911 call, her voice carries a hint of fear, but she matter-of-factly tells the dispatcher her address and phone number. She says she doesn't know her mom's age and can't see whether she's breathing. But she follows the dispatcher's directions to stay on the phone. She also says things to keep her younger siblings calm and in control until the paramedics arrive. "Ryan come over here and sit and watch a movie. Sit down." 

For her handling of this crisis, Alexandria Corbeil  has been hailed as a hero and was honored with a citizen's commendation from the Walnut Creek Police Department on May 11. Chief Joel Bryden handed the certificate to her during a special ceremony to honor other citizens, as well as new reserve police officers and officers who are retiring. 

 "Alexandria's maturity level for her age and the great job she did in a stressful situation should be commended," Bryden read from the commendation. "Alexandria is deserving of the respect and admiration of the men and women of the Walnut Creek Police Department."

In addition to what Alexandria's handling of this emergency says about her, it also testifies to the need for parents to teach their kids how to call 911, said Alicia White, the police department's crime prevention coordinator. 

"I think it's really important that children know these things from an early age," White said. "Rather than being panic stricken when something happens, they should be prepared and feel confident. A major incident can be scary no matter what age you are, and with little kids, knowing the first step and being able to reach somebody very quickly can be what it takes to make them feel secure again."

White added that she started teaching her own daughter about 911, as well as helping her to learn the family phone number when she was two. "She probably wasn't able to recite an entire phone number until she was about 2 1/2, maybe even three, but we continued to drill her on it and reinforce how important it was to know these things," White said. 

Melissa Corbeil has long since recovered from the strep throat and fever that caused her collapse.  She  thinks her daughter's self-sufficiency might come from being the oldest—and from Corbeil having dealt with other health problems, including being on bed rest for six weeks during her second pregnancy. "She's been through a lot," Corbeil says. "She's a very strong little girl."

She added that her daughter's instinct to help others is pretty ingrained. Alexandria wants to grow up to rescue endangered wildlife and she was planning to cut off her long strawberry blond hair and donate 10 inches of it to the Locks for Love cause. 

Alexandria admits she was scared when her mom collapsed. "Yeah!" But she quickly explained she just did what needed to be done.  "I called 911 and said all that stuff."