A 13-year-old boy from El Cajon was made an honorary firefighter Wednesday night for his quick actions that saved his uncle's life.
On Oct. 23, 52-year-old Uncle Joe was taking care of teen Chris Rand and his 11-year-old sister Alex when he had a seizure that left him lying helpless in the locked bathroom.
Alex heard his cries from outside the room.
“It was like screaming, like, ‘Ahhh!’ Weird noises like a banshee,” she described.
She knocked on the door, but when no answer came, she ran downstairs to get Chris.
"I went upstairs and used a screwdriver to open the bathroom room,” said Chris, “and I saw his condition so I went downtown stairs and got his phone from the countertop and called 911 and told them what the situation was."
Alex said Joe apparently hit his head and had a bloody nose, and his feet left scratch marks on the door.
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Firefighters say because the children reacted so quickly, they saved their uncle's life.
On Wednesday, the San Miguel Fire District Board of Directors recognized both children, presenting them with a certificate for their efforts.
Chris was also made an honorary firefighter and awarded him with a helmet.
He told NBC 7 he learned how to think quickly in an emergency through the Junior Lifeguards program.
