Teens honored for saving life of DeKalb County grandmother

A DeKalb County grandmother is counting her blessings. Thursday, she got to publicly thank her two brave teenage grandsons for saving her life.

DeKalb County Fire Rescue honored the teenage boys for their heroic efforts.

Last month, 67-year-old Barbara Wilkes started bleeding severely from an artery near her dialysis graft. So, 15-year-old Talib and 13-year-old Nathaniel Simmons acted quickly to apply pressure to slow the loss of blood and keep her stable until medics arrived.

Emergency crews said their quick-thinking actions helped keep Wilkes alive until they could get her to the hospital.

"Yes, he got instructions from dispatch, but he exactly what they told him to do. And that’s a great thing in today’s age of ‘people looking out for number one,’" said Dean Steiner, a paramedic for American Medical Response.

The grandmother herself spoke about her grandsons' actions. Wilkes said a 2-year-old and 6-year-old were also inside the house at the time, but she said she managed to tell the teenage boys what to do until paramedics arrived.

"I was laying in a pool of blood. And, like I said, I am just so thankful to be here because if I was by myself, I know I would not be here today," said Wilkes. "So, you know, I just thank God for them. You know, that they were there to help me out."

Wilkes was rushed to the hospital once the medics arrived and was able to make a full recovery.

The grandmother said her grandsons were her lifeline that night.

The two teenage boys also offered some advice to others who may find themselves in a similar situation.  They urge people to stay calm, talk to medical personnel, and always be yourself.

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