Youngster credited with saving grandfather
Published 8:53 am Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Elexis Walker is shown with her grandfather, Mitch McKinley. The young Walker has been called a hero by her grandfather for her quick action in a crises.|Photo by Lydia Grimes
Heroes have been known to come in all shapes and sizes and Mitch McKinley is thankful for one little hero.
McKinley was lucky his granddaughter, Elexis Walker, happened to be visiting Sunday, June 26, 2011.
That was when he had what appears to have been a stroke. No one was at the McKinley home McKinley, Elexis and her little brother, Austin Walker.
“I was in the yard and noticed my arm fell over the side and had a strange feeling,” McKinley said. “I couldn’t move my left side to good either. We came into the house and I sat down in a chair, but I knew something was wrong.”
Elexis was with McKinley while he was having his trouble with his arm and leg.
McKinley said Elexis knew something was wrong and went to get her grandfather’s glucose meter because she thought his sugar was up. She had watched her grandfather use the meter many times and she knew what to do. She put the meter to use by checking his blood sugar and his glucose seemed to be alright, McKinley said.
“I can’t remember much of what did happen that day, but Elexis knew something was wrong and she took action,” McKinley said.
“I could tell that he was having trouble walking around,” Elexis said. “After I checked his sugar meter, I called my mother.”
Elexis’ mother, Tasha Emmons, arrived to find that her brother, Shawn McKinley, was already there. They took their father’s blood pressure and found it to be 200/105 and knew that something was wrong.
They called for help and the elder McKinley was carried by helicopter to Sacred Heart Hospital for treatment.
McKinley stayed overnight in the hospital as doctors evaluated his situation.
Shawn McKinley said when he arrived on the scene on Sunday his father looked really bad. Some quick thinking by the family probably saved McKinley’s life.
McKinley has returned home with his family.
Although he is having some difficulty walking and his memory seems to have been affected, he is alive and well and he credits his granddaughter with saving him.
“She is my little hero,” he said. “I am going to keep her around.”
