5-Year-Old Girl Calls 9-1-1, Helps First Responders Find Home During Mother’s Diabetic Episode

When Mia Hoffman began experiencing a hypoglycemic emergency at her home in Battle Creek, Michigan, her 5-year-old daughter knew just what to do. “Mommy’s little hero” leapt into action to save her mother’s life.

Coincidentally, that day was the 16th anniversary of Mia’s diabetes diagnosis. She had taken some insulin with the intention of eating soon, but then she got distracted as she was making dinner. Her blood sugar began dropping dangerously low, and she wasn’t aware of the problem until it was too late.

“It’s a very delicate balancing act,” she says. “It wasn’t until I wanted to have a baby that I really started taking care of myself and forced me to shift my perspective and do better. It was hard at first, now it’s something I deal with, but that’s not all of me, it’s just a part of me.”

Mia wears a continuous glucose monitor, but by the time the device’s alert system sounded, she was already in a haze and was unable to think clearly enough to respond appropriately.

“When I start dropping, it’s almost like being drunk, but not drunk,” Mia says. “Everything is really fuzzy. When I’m listening to people, it’s like I’ve got my ears cupped. I get really tired, hot and sweaty.”

Luckily, Amelia knew what to do. Seeing her mom looking tired and sweaty, she quickly got her a glass of water and some animal crackers and climbed up on the counter to make her a Nutella sandwich.

“Unfortunately, she’s seen my husband do it so many times. She was like, ‘This is what I’m supposed to do,'” says Mia.

“My mom’s blood sugar was low. She was sweaty,” Amelia recalls.

Serendipitously, the young girl had just learned how to call 9-1-1 a couple of days earlier. Her dad, Travis, had shown her how to dial 9-1-1 on Mia’s cell phone without having to use the phone’s passcode. If she hadn’t learned that valuable skill, she’d have had to go to the neighbor’s house for help.

Mia tried to give emergency responders her address when they asked for it, but in her hazy mental state, she gave them the wrong number. When the emergency crew couldn’t find the house right away, Amelia told them the house’s color and described the vehicle in the driveway to help them find the right place.

First to arrive on the scene was a Battle Creek Police K-9 unit. They assessed the situation and comforted Amelia, distracting her with a balloon and a trading card, while they waited for the Battle Creek Fire Department to arrive and administer oral glucose for Mia.

“I wake up, and the next thing I know is there is a living room full of people,” Mia says.

Amelia’s quick thinking and calm reaction in the face of such a scary situation make her a true hero. Great work, Amelia!