Image copyright Caroline Jackson/Facebook Image caption Caroline Jackson was downstairs and unaware of son Aidan's seizure
The parents of a teenager who suffered a seizure while chatting online have thanked his friend who called emergency services from 5,000 miles away.
Aidan Jackson, 17, was talking to an American gamer from his bedroom in Widnes on 2 January when he had a fit.
His friend, 20-year-old Dia Lathora, from Texas, alerted police in the UK.
The first Aidan's parents knew of the emergency was when police and an ambulance appeared at their front door, the Liverpool Echo reported.
Caroline and Steve Jackson then rushed upstairs to find their son "extremely disorientated".
Ms Jackson, 48, said: "We were at home watching TV and Aidan was upstairs in his room. The next thing we noticed was two police cars outside with flashing lights.
"I assumed they were in the area for another reason and then they ran up to the front door.
"They said there was an unresponsive male at the address. We said we hadn't called anyone and they said a call had come from America. I immediately went to check on Aidan and found him extremely disorientated."
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Dia Lathora rang the UK to alert police
Aidan had a seizure in May 2019 and is waiting for a new appointment following the latest incident.
"We are extremely thankful for what Dia did and shocked that we could be downstairs and not know anything was happening," Ms Jackson added.
"Dia had our address but didn't have any contact numbers, so it was amazing she managed to get help from so far away.
"I've spoken to her and expressed our thanks - she's just glad she could help.
"Aidan is a lot better and hopefully everything is OK when he has his appointment at the hospital but he's doing well."
Ms Lathora told the Liverpool Echo: "I just put my headset back on and I heard what I could only describe as a seizure, so obviously I started to get worried and immediately started asking what was going on and if he was OK.
"When he didn't respond I instantly started to look up the emergency number for the EU. When that didn't work I just had to hope the non-emergency would work, it had an option for talking to a real person...and I can't tell you how quickly I clicked that button."
SirenSnake on January 11st, 2020 at 17:10 UTC »
I called for a friend I regularly video chatted with while we played Minecraft. We found one of those secret settings and were trying to lay with the screen upside down and I guess that triggered her to have a seizure. I had her address from sending her a Christmas card so I called my 911 and asked how I send help. They found the nearest emergency number and I was giving them updates on her condition. She seized for almost 8 minutes and her parents tried to turn away the ambulance thinking it was a prank. I had to tell them I could hear them trying to turn them away for the paramedics to insist they check on her before they leave
akujiki87 on January 11st, 2020 at 16:31 UTC »
I had a siezure way back in the halo 2 days. The doctors were still trying to figure out the trigger for mine at the time. I would have grand mauls growing up. Well it happened the day halo 2 launched. I was up all night playing after midnight release. Maybe had 3 hours of sleep, i woke up and fired it up again and was playing with anothrr kid i played with often online. Mid game a siezure triggered. He heard me through the mic and panicked. My grandma heard and was able to come in and make sure it rode out fine. My buddy was not as calm to do anything like in this story, he started crying and logged off... Turns out my seizures were triggered by sleep deprivation.
pow3llmorgan on January 11st, 2020 at 15:16 UTC »
I was going to go on about how different nations in the EU have different emergency numbers, but it would actually seem 112 works everywhere in the EU, plus some European and Eurozone countries.
Even in the UK, which popularly use 999, you can get through with 112.