THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 12, 1996 TAG: 9601120492
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALETA PAYNE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
Reuben Lindsey can't spell hero and he doesn't know what it means.
But when you're barely 6, and your mom has a seizure while you're home with her and your two little sisters, and you dial 911, and then wait until you hear the ambulance before running out to the bus stop because you don't want to miss school - well, that makes you a hero.
``I always say, never underestimate a kid,'' said Reuben's mother, Rachelle Graham, 25. ``He taught me the real meaning of that.''
``God knows I'm grateful for him.''
MacDonald Graham, a boatswain's mate in the Navy, had already left for work Wednesday morning when his wife collapsed in their home near Little Creek Amphibious Base. Although Reuben had seen his mother have an epileptic seizure before, there had always been an adult present to help. This time, they were alone except for Reuben's sisters, 2-year-old Jasmin and 10-month-old Sydnei.
``My mom was shaking on the floor. I was afraid she was going to die,'' Reuben said Thursday. ``I called 911 for my mom. When I heard the ambulance coming, I went to my bus stop. I didn't want to miss school.''
Reuben explained what had happened to the bus driver who takes him to Shelton Park Elementary School, where he is in kindergarten. The driver conferred with a woman waiting at the stop with her kids, and the woman went to take care of Jasmin and Sydnei.
When they arrived at school, Reuben and the bus driver told the staff what had happened.
``He was incredibly calm for such a little guy,'' said guidance counselor Donna McInturff. ``His main concern was that he wanted to make sure his sisters were all right. Once he knew his sisters were OK and his mom was OK, he went on with the rest of the day.''
Graham, who works as a deli clerk at Food Lion, has no memory of the seizure. She was kept at Sentara Bayside Hospital for a few hours before being released.
Reuben's sixth birthday was last Friday, and the family will celebrate it with a party on Saturday. The school will honor him in February at its monthly awards assembly, McInturff said.
Graham said she and Reuben had practiced what to do in case of an emergency - what number to call and what to say.
``I thought he'd probably panic and forget to call,'' she said. ``(Wednesday) he followed through.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
HUY NGUYEN/The Virginian-Pilot
Kindergartner Reuben Lindsey was home with his two younger sisters
when the kids' mother, Rachelle Graham, suffered an epileptic
seizure. He remembered what she had taught him and called for an
ambulance.
by CNB