Chicago boy, 7, honored for helping save his mother’s life

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A 7-year-old Chicago boy has been honored and showered with gifts for helping save his mother by calling 911 and calmly providing information on her condition as she was suffering a seizure.

Daniel Armani and his family got a tour Friday of the Engine 16 fire station in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. He got to sit behind the steering wheel of a fire truck and received several gifts, including a plastic fire helmet, a Lego fire truck, a new bicycle and a bike helmet.

Daniel, who goes by D.J., called 911 on May 30 as his mother was having an epileptic seizure. He then calmly and coolly relayed critical information while comforting his mother, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

“This kid was spot-on. … He talked to me calmly, calmer than most adults I talk to. He handled it like a champ,” said Dianne Statts-Mareci, the Chicago Fire Department communications officer who handled the call that helped save D.J.’s mother, Tarissa Clark, 25.

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Clark, who lives with her son in Bronzeville, said she’s suffered from seizures all her life. Because of that, she taught D.J. starting around age 4 what he should do if she suffered one.

Until last month, he’d never placed a 911 call for her, but she said that when he did, he came through with flying colors.

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