Girl, 7, Saves Dad's Life with CPR in New Zealand

When Bevan Hale collapsed from a cardiac event in his Balclutha, New Zealand kitchen, his seven-year-old daughter Frankie became his only hope for survival.

The 58-year-old remembers nothing of the day he nearly died. He doesn't recall the respiratory issues that stopped his heart, cutting himself on a broken coffee cup, or lying unconscious in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor.

But Frankie, who was home from school that day, heard the crash and came to investigate. The shy second-grader found her dad unresponsive and immediately video called her mom, Kimberly Owen, who was visiting family at a hospital an hour away in Dunedin.

Owen saw her daughter's terrified face and Hale covered in blood with his eyes rolled back. She urged Frankie to hang up so emergency services could call her directly, promising to call right back.

"You need to be big and brave because you need to help your dad," Owen told her daughter.

And brave she was. Frankie, who her parents describe as smart but so shy she won't talk to strangers, listened carefully to the 911 operator's instructions.

First, she had to move her father onto his back. Bracing herself against the kitchen cupboard, the small child pushed with all her strength until she rolled his large frame over.

Then she began CPR. Following the operator's guidance, Frankie pressed the palms of her hands against her father's chest, counting each compression.

She continued performing chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for over fifteen minutes until first responders arrived. They worked on Hale for another ten minutes before his heart restarted.

Paramedics told Owen the outlook was grim, but Hale survived. A rescue helicopter rushed him to Dunedin Hospital's ICU, the same floor where Owen had been visiting earlier that day.

"What she was doing wasn't enough to bring him back, but she was able to get his heart stimulated," Owen said. Doctors confirmed that Frankie's CPR kept blood flowing to her father's brain and vital organs until professional help arrived.

Why This Inspires

Hale and Owen never discussed calling 911 in an emergency with their daughter. The experience opened their eyes to how important those conversations are.

"You never really expect something like that to happen, for your kids to be in that position," Owen said. Now they're encouraging other families to talk with their children about what to do in emergencies.

As for Frankie, she simply says the experience was "scary" but is back to enjoying her favorite game, Roblox. Her parents remain in awe of their daughter's courage and quick thinking under unimaginable pressure.

"Words can't describe how proud of the wee girl I am," Hale said. "It brings tears to my eyes."