Louth Mayor’s special recognition for brave youngster Jonah

A seven-year-old boy from Louth has been recognised by the Mayor for his brave and heroic actions when his mum suffered a serious seizure.
The Mayor of Louth with Jonah Millthorpe.The Mayor of Louth with Jonah Millthorpe.
The Mayor of Louth with Jonah Millthorpe.

Jonah Millthorpe, who goes to Kidgate Primary Academy, leapt into action last month when his mum Dani, 26, suffered an epileptic seizure while at home with her family.

Dani, who was diagnosed with epilepsy when she was 18, told the Leader that ever since Jonah was old enough to understand, she taught him what he should do if she had a serious seizure while there were no adults around to help.

Dani controls her epilepsy with medication and she will suffer ‘focal’ seizures most days, but when she sensed the onset of a more serious ‘grand mal’ seizure in July last year, she ran outside to seek help from a neighbour as she was not sure whether Jonah would be too young to help her at that stage. While running outside to fetch the neighbour, Dani collapsed on to the concrete and badly injured her face.

Jonah Millthorpe with his mum, Dani.Jonah Millthorpe with his mum, Dani.
Jonah Millthorpe with his mum, Dani.

One day last month, Dani could once again sense that a serious ‘grand mal’ seizure was about to take place while she was at home with Jonah and his young brothers Arthur (3) and Stanley (1).

Dani explained: “I quickly ran upstairs and Jonah knew instantly from what I had told him what was going to happen.

“He got me comfortable with pillows and kept talking to me. He first tried neighbours and there was no joy, but he then went on to WhatsApp where he alerted my family about what was happening so he could get help in keeping me safe.

“An ambulance for a seizure isn’t normally required unless it is over five minutes, there’s an injury, or there’s a series of seizures one after another.

“As I was coming around, I could hear him reassuring himself it was okay, to stay calm and that I was going to be okay.

“Not long after he alerted the WhatsApp group, I had my family with me who took over and let me rest.

“Jonah was very emotional and overwhelmed, but we are all so proud of how he dealt with the situation and how mature he was to deal with something that is a very terrifying thing to witness, even when you’re a grown up.”

When the Mayor of Louth, Coun Darren Hobson, heard about Jonah’s brave actions, he thought it would be fitting to present him with a ‘certificate of recognition’.

Coun Hobson told the Leader: “It was a pleasure to meet with Jonah and his mum, Dani, and it was inspirational to hear their story.

“Jonah reacted to a challenging situation in exactly the way that anyone would hope, making sure that his mum was comfortable, looking for assistance from neighbours and contacting family members to let them know what was happening.

“Jonah ensured that his mum was safe and stayed with her for almost an hour until help arrived - all whilst looking after his two younger siblings too.

“I felt that his bravery and independence certainly deserved recognition, and the Mayoress and I were delighted to present him with a certificate and spend time talking with him about the remarkable way that he handled a high-pressured situation so calmly and with such compassion for everyone involved.”

• For more information and advice about epilepsy and seizures, visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/epilepsy.

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