In San Tan Valley, Arizona, 5-year-old Salvatore Cicalese faced every child’s worst nightmare when he found his mom unconscious in the shower. Thinking she was in grave danger, Sal acted quickly.
First, he wrapped his baby sister in a blanket to keep her safe. Then, with incredible bravery, he made his way to the neighbor’s house. Jessica Penoyer was home and opened the door to find Sal standing there, holding his sister.
“He’s standing there and he’s holding something, and I thought it was a doll,” Jessica recalled.
At first, she misunderstood Sal, thinking he said, “his dog died.” But when she realized the serious situation, she immediately called 911, explaining that Sal thought his mom had died in the shower.
Thankfully, Sal’s mom, Kaitlyn Cicalese, had suffered a seizure and passed out, but was alive. Without Sal’s quick thinking, the outcome could have been much worse. “Honestly, he saved my life,” Kaitlyn said. “I was under the faucet. If he wouldn’t have gotten help, I would have drowned.”
Sal’s heroic deed spread quickly, and the fire department crew that responded to the emergency honored Sal for his bravery.
Watch the video below to see Sal being recognized for his courageous actions. Please share this inspiring story!
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