It was a frightening experience for a five-year-old girl after her father went into diabetic shock Saturday morning.
Alexa Santagata, 5, of Southington, is being called a hero after calling 911 and saving her father's life.
Alexa called 911 after her father fell into diabetic shock. Here is an excerpt of the 911 call:
911: Tell me what he's doing.
Alexa: He's putting his feet together and he's shaking.
911: He's putting his feet together and he's shaking?
Alexa: Yeah.
911: Can your dad talk, Alexa?
Alexa: No.
911: Where is your dad right now?
Alexa: He's on my bed.
Kelly Bryant, Trumbull dispatcher, said Alexa was very calm. She was calmer than Bryant some adults she had spoken to, she said.
Alexa's parents had just explained to her what to do if her dad went into diabetic shock the night before. They told her about 911 and what to tell the dispatcher.
"She asked how old are you and I said five," Alexa said. "And then she asked me how old my daddy was and I said he was 35 and then, I don't remember all the stuff she said."
The dispatcher stayed in the phone with Alexa until police and paramedics could get there.
"Gosh, I just remember waking up and seeing the sheriff and the paramedics here," Alexa's father, Kent Santagata, said.
"She was able to follow directions very easily," Bryant said. "We asked her to put the phone down, go to her dad and try to shake him, try to get him to answer. She would come back to the phone."
Although, she says it was scary when it was happening, she's already moved on and has big plans for the rest of the day.
"I'm going skating and then I'm going to play with Ashley at Uncle Kurt's house," Alexa said.
Thanks to the knowledge her parents gave her she'll be able to come home to both her mom and dad.
"She's a smart girl," Santagata said. "Thank God that she was here and was aware of what to do."
