Twin thinks fast to save brother’s life in emergency

Sometimes it’s good to be twins. While one local boy almost lost his life Saturday, his twin became a hero when he calmly called 911 for help.

Dakota Wamsley, 9, was born with cerebral palsy, damage to the motor control centers in a developing brain. Like others with his medical condition, he has sudden, abnormal electrical activity in the brain, known as seizures. Of the three he has suffered, the last two caused him to stop breathing.

On a trip to Cleveland with his family last week, Dakota’s mother, Daniele, noticed he wasn’t feeling well. Because of this, the family returned to Warren County on Saturday. Still feeling bad, mom and Dakota went to take a nap.

While lying down, the most recent seizure struck and he stopped breathing. After yelling for her mother, Daniele admittedly ‘lost it’ in her panic to save her son’s life.

‘It’s not any easier the second time than it was the first time,’ said Daniele. ‘I was freaking out. My mom called me hysterical lady, because I went hysterical’

While grandma, assisted by Daniele, tried to keep things under control and give Dakota first aid, his twin brother called 911.

‘Skylar was the calm one out of the whole ordeal,’ said Daniele. On the phone with the 911 operator, he told them how old his brother is, that his brother had stopped breathing, where he lived, and stayed on the line until the ambulance arrived.

Although the family is unsure where Skylar got his ability to stay calm under pressure, they are just glad he has it. Because of his quick, calm action during a stressful time, his family is calling him ‘Hero of the Day.’

Once the ambulance arrived, Dakota and his mom were rushed to River Park Hospital where he was stabilized and later released.