12-year-old Scout from Northants village used ‘super human strength’ to save mum’s life

A woman from a Northamptonshire village owes her life to her son who saved her from drowning after she suffered a seizure while having a bath at their family home.

Leo Gleadell was at home in Blisworth when he heard the family dog barking.

The 12-year-old went to see what it was barking for and he found that his mother, Rachel Bisiker, had collapsed and was under the water not breathing.

Despite his size, Leo used what has been described as 'super human strength' to drag his 32-year-old mum out of the bath.

Once Leo got his mum out of the bath, he immediately began giving her the kiss-of-life and she started coughing up water that had gone into her lungs.

He then called the emergency services, put Rachel into the recovery position and looked after her until an ambulance arrived.

Now Leo, who learned his life-saving skills as a member of the 1st Sywell Air Scouts group, has been awarded a top national life-saving honour for his actions during the incident on the evening of November 10 last year.

The youngster received a Royal Humane Society Resuscitation Certificate and has also won the personal praise of Andrew Chapman, who is the secretary of the society.

Andrew said: “For one so young what Leo did was truly incredible.

“He stayed cool, calm and collected when faced with a situation in which many adults would have panicked.

“Not only that, he used what must have been superhuman strength for a youngster of his age and stature to drag his lifeless mother out of the bath.

“Then, realising that she was not breathing, he began giving her the kiss-of-life and managed to restore her breathing before calling the emergency services.

“What an incredible boy. He undoubtedly saved his mother’s life. If he had not been here and acted as he did she would certainly have drowned in the bath.

“He richly deserves the award he is to receive. He was the true hero of the moment.”

The Royal Humane Society is the premier national body for honouring bravery in the saving of human life, of which the Queen is a patron.

The society awards non health care professionals who perform a successful resuscitation.

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