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Superhero Lilly saves her dad's life

Buy photos » Lilly Fitzpatrick, six, dialled 999 and saved her dad. Picture by Marcus Mingins 0113008MMR

SIX-year-old Lilly Fitzpatrick has been lauded as her family’s ‘little hero’ after her quick-thinking actions saved her dad’s life.

Her father Dave, 42, who suffers from Type 1 diabetes, started having a hypoglycemic attack and had become extremely lethargic and unresponsive at his Longbridge home on Groveley Lane, at around 6.30pm on Wednesday (January 2).

Despite being scared and upset, brave youngster Lilly got his Glucogel from the cupboard and applied it to his cheek and gave him Jelly Babies after the lid on a bottle of Lucozade was too tight for her to undo.

“I was really worried and crying. He was on the table, going a bit funny and his mouth was dripping.

“I knew he was low,” Lilly said.

After trying to call her mum and family members, but not managing to get through, she dialled 999, and told emergency services what was happening.

“They kept telling me to ask my dad questions, so I did, but he didn’t say anything.

“I kept asking but he kept saying nothing.” Lilly added.

The Cofton Primary School pupil, who wants to work in a hospital when she is older, said the police, ambulance and paramedics came and starting tending to her dad, while she went in to the conservatory and looked after her 16-month-old little brother Jacob.

“They put something on his arm to see if he was low, and he was really, really low,” she added.

In fact, Dave’s sugar level was around 0.2mmol/l (millimoles per litre), when the target level for most adults with Type 1 diabetes is between 4mmol/l and 9mmol/l depending on when they last ate.

Mum, Michelle Lewis, who was at work at the time, heaped praise on her daughter and said if it was not for her actions Dave would likely have slipped into a coma and could have died.

“It’s saved his life, what she’s done.

“He wouldn’t have been able to bring himself around.

“I am just so glad I have told her what to do.

“I don’t like the kids having to deal with adult stuff but it’s part of life with us.

“I didn’t realise how well she took it all on board, but it obviously sunk in because she dealt with it all on her own,” she said.

Michelle, who suffers from Rheumatoid Arthritis herself, admitted she relied on Lilly to help her around the home and to help get her brother Jacob ready.

She added: “She is so caring about everyone and will be one of the young carers.

“We’re going to Toys R Us at the weekend and she will be getting the biggest doll there.

“She’s our little superhero.”

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