Sisters' quick thinking saved their three-year-old brother

Lovie (7) and Dolly (9) Buckley of Mildenhall have been presented with an award for their bravery by the chief executive of the ambulance service after their quick actions saved their brother from drowning.

The certificates were presented by Tom Abell of East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) at a special assembly at Beck Row Primary Academy, where Lovie and Dolly go to school.

In early September last year, three-year old Reggie had been playing with his sisters in a wading pool on one of the hottest days of 2023, said Mum, Jess Roberts.

“Reggie suffers from febrile convulsions and can often have seizures, especially when he is running a temperature.? It had been a hot day, and Reggie was a little hot, so I gave him his medication, and he was playing happily with his sisters in the pool.? I thought the medication and the water in the pool would keep him cool and he would be OK for at least a couple of hours.

“My children are all confident swimmers, and the pool is only waist deep, so I was keeping an eye on them, but folding some laundry - then suddenly my eldest daughter screamed and they were holding his body – he looked lifeless and purple.

“He had had a seizure and gone to the bottom of the pool with his mouth open. My eldest daughter had grabbed his head and Lovie got his feet and they brought him to the surface.

“When Reggie comes out his seizures, he often takes big, gulping breaths, so if Lovie and Dolly had acted a couple of seconds later, he would have drowned.

“I was amazed, they’re young children and you wouldn’t expect them to act as quickly as they did.

“We got Reggie onto his side and called 999. The ambulance arrived really quickly and the crew were really helpful and attentive – and reassuring because we were hysterical by that time.”

Reggie was transported to hospital where he made a full recovery.?? ??

John Grimwood, one of the paramedics that attended that day said:? “We arrived to find Reggie sat on his mother's lap, awake and breathing because when he started to convulse, his sisters had pulled him back above the water and to the edge of their paddling pool, before alerting their mother. The reason for him being alive is almost certainly because of their actions."

Tom Abell presenting the commendations said: “Lovie and Dolly thought so quickly and acted so bravely that, without a doubt, they are responsible for Reggie being here today.”