5-Year-Old Sunshine Coast Boy Saves Mum After Allergic Reaction

When Queensland mum Natasha Bevacqua had an allergic reaction, causing her tongue to swell and making it impossible for her to talk, her 5-year-old son Hutch knew just what to do.

He picked up the phone and called triple-0, effectively saving his mum’s life.

“I was trying to say that I couldn’t breathe and they were having lots of trouble trying to understand me,” the Sunshine Coast mum said.

“I just remember my eyes closing and fading out “¦ it [the phone] was on speaker and they were saying ‘Hello, hello is anybody there?'”

Hutch’s voice was small but clear: “Yes, I’m here.”

In audio from the call, the operator coached Hutch on what to do, getting him to check his mother’s condition. Hutch noted that his mum had gone to sleep, and that she wasn’t talking.

“You’ve got to go and look at her and tell me if you can see that she’s breathing “¦ can you grab her hand and squeeze it? Say ‘Mummy’ and see if she opens her eyes,” the operator instructed.

As the minutes passed, Hutch kept his cool. He opened the front door to allow access for paramedics ahead of their arrival, held his mum’s hand, and eventually alerted his neighbour to what was happening.

In fact that last one was all his idea:

“I could go over to the next door neighbour’s and see if they can come over?” he said, adding that he knew his neighbours.

“Take the phone with you and keep talking to me “¦ can you run Hutch? You’ve got to be quick,” the operator said in reply.

Arriving at his neighbour’s house, Hutch banged on the door until it was opened, and then explained: “My mum’s sick and she won’t open her eyes”.

Paramedics arrived just in the nick of time but even then Ms Bevacqua arrived at the hospital with no pulse.

“The doctor actually said I was very lucky to be here,” she said.

Recognising Hutch

As it turns out, Hutch’s mum isn’t the only one who thinks her son is something special. Hutch was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation for his bravery during the emergency and said that it felt “good” that people called him a hero.

“I feel very happy and very brave,” he said.

The pair were reunited with the paramedics who attended her, so Ms Bevacqua could make it clear just how grateful she was. In talking to the media, she admitted she hadn’t listened to the call yet, but said she knew “how brave and how special” her little boy was, describing him as “an old soul”.

“I’m very proud but very grateful to the ambulance and to Hutch because I owe him my life,” she said through tears.

Ms Bevacqua had spoken to Hutch about the police, ambulance and fire officers, and how they helped their community, but said she had never actually coached him on what to do in an emergency.

“He was quite comfortable talking to them but had had no training at all. He’s just a very special being,” she said.

We agree!