By GEORGIA WESTGARTH
NARRE Warren’s own triple zero hero, 12-year-old Melodi Simsek took the initiative to call for help when she noticed her mum’s symptoms were different to anything she had seen before.
“Mum had a headache which turned into a migraine, she couldn’t swallow, her vision was blurry, her speech was slurring and the corner of her mouth lifted,” Melodi said.
Melodi was home alone with her mum at the time and spoke with the Emergency Services Telecommunications Authority (ESTA) operator until an ambulance arrived.
“I had seen mum experience a seizure before, but I knew this was different because she couldn’t see properly, her head was spinning and she was turning purple,” Melodi said.
Melodi’s mother, Elif Simsek had an aneurysm and was kept in hospital for two weeks after the call was made.
“I cried when I listened to the call recording at the awards night,” Ms Simsek said.
“I am very proud of my daughter, the way she handled the whole situation, so responsible and grown up,” Ms Simsek said.
Melodi, who was a Grade 6 student at Thomas Mitchell Primary School at the time, said she was worried but knew she had to follow instructions.
“It was the first time I’d had to call triple zero, and I was asked to track mum’s pulse, to have her repeat ‘the early bird catches the worm’ to notice mum’s speech and I had to put her head in line with her body and raise her arms above her head,” Melodi said.
The ambulance took eight minutes to arrive at their Narre Warren home where Melodi followed the ambulance with her aunty and twin brother Dilhan. Melodi was awarded at the ESTA Triple Hero Zero ceremony on Wednesday 13 May for clearly conveying her mum’s symptoms and informing the operator of her mum’s medical history. A single mum of three, Ms Simsek said her three children have been looking after her for the past four years.
“I am so blessed to have my kids,” Ms Simsek said.
Now in Year 7 at Gleneagles Secondary College, Melodi said the phone call had taught her to keep calm and to follow instructions in an emergency.
“I’ve learnt to always listen as you might need the information in the future,” she said.
