For 5-year-old Brandon Weaver, the hardest part of a ceremony at Magnolia Elementary School honoring his heroism was hanging around while his kindergarten playmates moved on to have more fun in gym class.
Neither the lure of television lights nor the gentle voice of his mother, Eve Weaver, could persuade the Edgewood youngster to tell about dialing 911 to get help for her when she suffered a severe asthma attack Nov. 16.
At Monday's ceremony in front of his classmates and a prekindergarten class, Brandon stiffened his jaw and puffed out his chest as Larry Klimovitz, the county's director of administration, pinned a Harford County medal for bravery on the youngster's flannel shirt.
Then, Capt. Mitchell Vocke of the county's Department of
Emergency Operations, presented Brandon with a gold 911 pin and thanked him for doing a good job.
Emergency dispatcher Lori Gallion had received Brandon's 911 call at 10:22 p.m. The boy's voice was soft but distinct as he told her his name and, slowly, his address.
"I taught Brandon to give the house numbers slowly because he would always forget them when he tried to repeat them quickly," said Ms. Weaver, of the 500 block of Candlewood Drive in Edgewood.
Brandon was able to tell the dispatcher that his mother was "shaking" and needed help, but he could not remember his telephone number. That didn't matter; Ms. Gallion already had dispatched an ambulance to assist Ms. Weaver.
"I've had asthma attacks before, but this time I stiffened up from hyperventilating and couldn't make it to the telephone," Ms. Weaver said.
Brandon first got a pillow to place under his mother's head and then made his call to the 911 center, Ms. Weaver said.
Obtaining emergency assistance by dialing 911 is part of the kindergarten curriculum, said Cynthia W. Bowker, assistant principal of Magnolia Elementary School. But Brandon had received earlier training.
"I began teaching Brandon how to use 911 when he was 4 years old," Ms. Weaver said. "He loves to watch 'Rescue 911' on television every Tuesday, and I had taped the show from the night before for him to watch the day of my attack."
Ms. Weaver was taken to Fallston General Hospital, where she was treated and then released about 4 a.m. the next day, she said.
Ms. Weaver said she asked Brandon later if he had been afraid, because he had not cried or showed any signs of emotional distress.
"At first, he said he wasn't scared, but then he admitted he was, 'just a little,' " she said.
When Brandon learned that he would receive the award, he was proud and told all his friends, Ms. Weaver said.
When his big moment in the bright lights came, Brandon was speechless. Eventually, he managed a grin for the television crews and a huge hug for his mother.
"Brandon learned to ride his two-wheel bike without the training wheels last month, so I've already put a new bike on layaway for his Christmas present," Ms. Weaver said.