December 4th was like any other Sunday for me. I had just arrived home from work, and walked in the door to find my mom and brother (William) on the couch, just like they always are on weekends. I said hello, and then began talking about my day, and how my boss had scolded me at work for something or another. Then my mom interrupted me, saying something about her headache and my brother being in a tunnel. I was confused for a second, then continued talking about work, when suddenly my mom interrupted me again.

This time, she spoke in short, erratic bursts that didn’t form complete sentences. Then, she shut down; her face went blank and she stared right past me. My brother got up quickly, and both of us called “Mom?” a couple of times. My mom just sat there on the couch, looking.

“Mom?” I called again, and then looked at my brother. “I think she’s having a stroke.”

I tried performing a Stroke test on her, asking her to smile, raise her arm, and repeat a sentence. She didn’t respond, and so I told my brother to call my father (who lived across town).

“I’m going to call 9-1-1,” he said, already dialing. As he went to the front room to wait for the EMTs, I sat with my mom, trying to keep calm. I held one of her hands and checked her pulse. Her heart was still beating, but I couldn’t tell if she was breathing. Unsure if she could comprehend, I told her to follow me in breathing.

“Breathe in, and breathe out,” I said, demonstrating for her. After a minute or so of doing this, she began to breathe out loudly, blowing out on my face. I began to cry, and after another minute she looked at me with wide eyes, and asked, “Are you sad?”

EMTs came quickly, and mom was in the hospital within 30 minutes. That night, she was transported to the University of Virginia’s Hospital, where she spent the next few days. The nurses were kind, the doctors were helpful, and my mom was discharged within the week.

I consider myself incredibly fortunate that my mom was able to survive this, but she didn’t do it alone. If William and I hadn’t recognized the situation and called for help when we did, my mom may have suffered more severe injuries and deficiencies. We got lucky, too, because the timing worked out almost as if by a miracle; we were both in the room when my mom began to display symptoms of a stroke. We were both paying attention and we acted quickly, so that when my mom really needed medical help, it was right there in the ambulance with her.

This incident taught our family many things about love and emergencies, but most of all it taught us how quick action and problem solving can really be the difference between life and death. It may seem like doctors and nurses are the only ones that can save lives in emergency situations, but you can too. Have emergency phone numbers always on hand. Know the signs of sudden illnesses like strokes, seizures, or heart attacks. Read more about life-saving procedures like CPR, or how to monitor a pulse, or how to keep someone breathing. It only takes a few minutes to learn, but it can make a lifetime of difference.

Because of our swift thinking, my brother and I were able to save my mom from a potentially life-threatening blood clot and stroke. Because of our actions, I still get to wake up every morning knowing my mom is okay.