'Seeing everyone work together was amazing' - Paraparaumu boy's mum lauds emergency responders

Jason Mulholland with a Life Flight Westpac Rescue Helicopter toy. Photo / David Haxton

Emergency services who helped save a young boy's life have been praised by his family.

Parents Paul and Lanita Mulholland were in awe of the quick response and teamwork from the services in their son Jason's time of need.

Jason, 7, was at their workplace in Paraparaumu, not feeling 100 per cent, having earlier been to a hospital appointment.

It was a wet July 25 afternoon when Jason became unwell, possibly because of a reaction to some medication.

Suddenly, a seizure took hold, his lips went blue, and he had trouble breathing.

One of the workplace's architectural designers ran to the nearby St Joseph Skin Cancer Centre and Pacific Health Plus to get help.

A receptionist from Pacific Health Plus, who has recently done a first aid course, started CPR on Jason.

Within no time police, Paraparaumu Fire Brigade and Wellington Free Ambulance were on the scene.

Life Flight's Westpac Rescue Helicopter had already scrambled and took over the scene once they arrived.

"Seeing everyone work together was amazing," Lanita recalled.

"It was like clockwork."

Emergency services were at the workplace for about two hours with Jason before he was stable enough to be put into the helicopter and airlifted to the emergency department at Wellington Hospital.

Life Flight's Westpac Rescue Helicopter leaves Paraparaumu with young boy Jason Mulholland on board. Photo / David Haxton

"Everyone was so cool, calm and collected.

"People asked me afterward if I freaked out, but I said I was probably in shock and the fact they were there, and are so amazing, keeps you calm."

Lanita accompanied Jason on the helicopter ride and tried to keep her fear of heights at bay.

In the emergency department, they were met by "a really incredible doctor" before a battery of tests.

After lots of tests, Jason was transferred to the intensive care unit where they stayed overnight.

Some time during the night, Jason was taken off a ventilator because his breathing was better.

They stayed until the next night, to make sure he was doing better, before being discharged.

"They are incredible," Lanita said about hospital staff.

Jason has had some minor seizures since then and tiredness has been a factor, meaning he's going to school only in the mornings.

"The type of seizures Jason has are absent ones, not fitting ones, so he's not moving but you can tell by his eyes – like there's no one home.

"If they last more than five minutes you have to administer medicine."

Jason has had intermittent absent seizures since he was about seven months.

"We haven't been able to put it down to what has caused it ...and he hasn't had one for about three years until the one in July."

Jason and his family have since visited Paraparaumu Fire Brigade and the Life Flight base to say thanks.

Both visits were special, particularly the Life Flight one because the three crew who had responded were there.

Thinking back to that day when Jason's life was on the line, Lanita, said, "We feel lucky and grateful to all those people who came and helped out."

Paul believed his son would have died had it not been for everyone's help.

"They are so good at their jobs."

Donation websites:
Life Flight Trust
Wellington Free Ambulance