Quick-Thinking Four-Year-Old Saves Mother with Emergency Call
In a heart-stopping moment that would terrify any parent, a four-year-old boy demonstrated remarkable composure when his mother suddenly collapsed at their Bellambi home. Hamish Bowman, then just four years old, found himself alone with his mother Micheline when she fell unconscious and would not wake up.
Rather than panicking, the preschooler immediately dialed triple zero, connecting with NSW Ambulance call taker Melissa. The recorded conversation captures the tense exchange where Hamish calmly answered questions about his mother's condition, including the critical query about whether she was breathing.
Three Years Later: Recognition for Courage
Now seven years old, Hamish received a Star Award from NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan at a ceremony in Wollongong on Thursday, March 5. The shy youngster was among nine members of the public and twenty-five paramedics honored during the annual South Coast awards.
"Mummy had her first fainting spell and I gave my address, phone number, reason," Hamish told reporters at the ceremony. "I was thinking why couldn't mum get up."
His mother Micheline Bowman-Gray expressed immense pride in her son's actions. "I was walking out of the bathroom and then the next minute I'm having a nap on the ground. It was very surreal," she recalled of the January 29, 2023 incident.
"I'm ever so grateful to my goddaughter, his godmother, for drilling into him how to do a triple zero phone call and address, phone number," Micheline added. "It was just a fainting spell, but what if it was a heart attack or a stroke or something?"
Multiple Heroic Acts Recognized
The awards ceremony highlighted several other remarkable rescue stories from the Illawarra region:
- Beach Rescue: Father and son Simon and Hamish Forshaw received a Certificate of Recognition for saving two children caught in a dangerous rip at Stanwell Park Beach in September 2025. Twelve-year-old Hamish Forshaw described the terrifying moment: "His face was down in the water, he wasn't really moving. I grab onto him, try and keep his head out of the water, but it's really hard in these rough conditions."
- Cardiac Arrest Response: Lifeguards Matthew Walker, Jasper Jordan and Blake Doering were honored for their quick response when seventeen-year-old Charlie Whistler suffered a heart attack while surfing at Thirroul Beach. Matthew Walker, who had only been in the job for three weeks, recalled: "I paddled out there and I'd seen that little foam coming from his mouth, and I immediately knew it wasn't good."
- Paramedic Resilience: Wollongong paramedic Harriet Moore received a Commissioner's Conspicuous Service Medal for her actions following a serious vehicle collision in May 2023. Despite sustaining injuries herself, she helped evacuate and coordinate care for all involved.
Australian Spirit of Helping Others
Outgoing NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dominic Morgan expressed profound pride in all award recipients. "This is one of the really beautiful things about Australian culture is that get in and have a go," he stated. "That's what these awards and recognition ceremonies are emblematic for."
The stories demonstrate how ordinary Australians, from young children to trained professionals, can make extraordinary differences in emergency situations through quick thinking, courage, and compassion.
