 | | Cub Master Steve Olsen of pack #428 honors Tiger Cub Tyler Webb for heroism after he called for help when his mother was in distress. Den leader Kale Webb was also presented with a donation collected by the Scouting family. The pack meeting was dedicated to Lori Webb who passed away suddenly, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010. Lori was and always will be apart of the Scout family will be truly missed. |
|
Scouts honor 6-year-old's heroism
Jamie Mack
Staff Writer
The Scouts honored one of their own last week. Tiger Cub Tyler Webb was recognized by Cub Master Steve Olsen of Wilmington's Pack 428. Webb was singled out for his heroism in a time of family distress.
Tyler's mother, Lori Webb, passed away suddenly on Feb. 7. She was alone with 6-year-old Tyler at the family's Braidwood home when she collapsed on the bathroom floor. The young boy contacted help, handled the dispatch call and comforted his mother until she was secure inside the ambulance.
Webb didn't make it to the hospital. She died en route from heart complications. She was 43 years old.
A long-time diabetic patient, Webb's heart condition was undiagnosed, and her family was in no way prepared for her passing.
"When this hit us, I was completely lost. I was so lost I couldn't function," said Lori's husband Kale Webb.
He was at work at Reed-Custer schools when he received a call from Tyler about Lori's collapse.
"I was fortunate and very happy that Tyler was there with his mother," Webb said. Hearing from Tyler, Kale jumped in his vehicle and contacted On Star. The company alerted 911 dispatch, and the dispatch center called the Webb home.
Tyler took the call for his mother, described her situation and relayed necessary information. Kale arrived home ahead of the emergency responders and helped them place his wife in the ambulance. It wasn't until after Lori's death that Kale learned of his son's participation in the emergency call.
"The surprise and the tears started welling up in me. It was the immense pride I had in him. He took care of her, and he handled everything," Webb said.
A 16-year veteran of Wilmington Emergency Services Disaster Agency (ESDA), Webb knows the importance of planning ahead. He and Lori taught Tyler what to do in an emergency, but they had no way of knowing if such a young child would remember.
Not only was Kale impressed by his son's handling of the situation, so was his Scout troop. The Tiger Scouts are an important part of the Webb family. Kale is an assistant leader, and Lori was a constant supporter.
The troop collected a donation in Lori's memory and presented it to the family. Memorials in Webb's name were made to the Wilmington United Methodist Church and the Diabetes Association.
The local support has been a Godsend for Kale and Tyler.
"It's been a hard process, but I have a lot of people in my corner. I feel extremely blessed," Webb said.
Lori Webb's death came just months before the family was scheduled to move into a home on Lori's family's farm. Formerly Lori Veigelt, the Custer Park native grew up a "farm kid." It was something she and Kale had in common. Kale grew up on a farm in Iowa. He met Lori when she was a student at Iowa Wesleyan College. They were married for 16 years.
"We had a great ride through life. She was part of my life for 17 years, 17 awesome years," Webb noted.
Both Kale and Lori preferred outdoor activities and "old-school" ways, and the move to the country was their dream.
Now, father and son will make the move on their own. Kale said Tyler "Fares a lot better than his old man" in the weeks after his mother's death. The two are relying on each other and on support networks like the Scouts to help them in the months and years to come.
This page was last modified on Monday, February 06, 2012 09:45:47 PM