Audio reveals moment boy, 8, saved mum's life calling 999 after she had severe allergic reaction to medication

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Listen to the moment a hero eight-year-old boy saved his mum's life by calling 999 and telling operators, "Mummy can't breathe", after she had a severe allergic reaction to her antibiotics.

Audio has revealed the moment a hero eight-year-old boy saved his mum's life after she had a deadly allergic reaction - calling 999 and telling operators: "Mummy can't breathe."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ryan Reid called paramedics after noticing his mum Alicia, 27, was suffering a serious case of anaphylaxis at their home in Kidderminster, Worcestershire. Alicia was unable to breathe and talk after she had a severe allergic reaction to prescribed antibiotics in August 2023.

Ryan kept his composure and rang 999 from the house phone. He calmly talked call-handlers through his mum's symptoms and gave them her date of birth, address and postcode before paramedics arrived. Doctors later told Alicia her allergic reaction could have been fatal if Ryan had not called for help when he did.

Ryan Reid.Ryan Reid.
Ryan Reid. | Alicia Reid / SWNS

During the phone call, Ryan can be heard saying: "She's not getting any better. She's taken her inhaler but it’s still not working. She's sitting down but she's not asleep but she feels sick. I've asked her if she needs a drink, but she said no. But she just can't breathe."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Alicia said: "It just shows how calm he was the whole time. He did brilliantly and we're obviously very proud. He let the ambulance crew know where my inhalers were, my name, he just basically let them know everything. I tried to point to the antibiotics, he picked them up and said that I had one of those. He saved my life.”

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

News you can trust since 1845
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice