Little Heroes in our Midst

By the Nichols family

If I had loved one living with autism, this is the type of story I would like to read.

My story starts like any other day. I was in the kitchen preparing lunch for my kids. One therapist had just left after their session and another one was due to arrive any minute. But today was unlike any other day.

As I was making lunch, I heard my 5 year old son, diagnosed with autism, screamed for me like I have never heard him scream before. Very frantically, he yelled “MOMMA! MOMMA! MOMMA! MOMMA!” I knew whatever the issue, it was urgent because I hadn’t heard him yell like that before. As I ran to get inside the playroom, I saw my 3 year old daughter with a cord from the blinds around her neck. She was purple. I saw her looking at me and I knew she was alive, but I still felt like I wasn’t sure I would make it to her in time.

The next few seconds seemed like hours. I ran as fast as I could while screaming for my husband. I got to her and pick her up to get the cord off of her neck. Those cords were always wrapped up high but that was not enough. She was climbing on the back of the couch, grabbed one, put it over her head and must have then slid or fallen down and ending up in a seated position on the pillow against the back of the couch.

My husband and I are beside ourselves, shocked, amazed, SO very thankful that our son even knew there was something terrible going on, and that he knew to get me out there quickly. We know that God used my boy to save his sister’s life and for that, he will always be our hero. It is terrifying to know things like these can happen in such little time. Needless to say, all window coverings are being removed in the playroom. We were very close to having a much different and tragic ending.

That day, I knew we had been blessed with a little hero in our midst. Liam, our wonderful son who happens to have autism, saved his sister. Never underestimate our children, as they are capable of so much, including being our heroes.