Tyler, Texas — Three-year-old Noemi “Emi” Vatavuk received recognition from UT Health East Texas EMS on September 8, 2026, for her remarkable actions that helped her mother, Aiden Wilkie, secure lifesaving care during a medical emergency. The recognition took place in Tyler, honoring Noemi for remaining calm and resourceful during a seizure her mother experienced earlier this year at their home in Rusk.
UT Health East Texas EMS CEO John Smith and Medical Director Yagnesh Desai, MD, presented Noemi with a certificate of bravery and an EMS challenge coin. Paramedic Caleb Ridgeway and EMT Tim Spurgeon, members of the ambulance crew who responded to the call, also presented Noemi with a Build-A-Bear emotional support teddy bear.
The emergency unfolded when Noemi was at home with her mother, Aiden Wilkie, who suffered a seizure. Despite her young age, Noemi contacted her grandparents, who reside near Atlanta, Georgia. Her grandparents then alerted emergency dispatchers. With Noemi's guidance, they directed UT Health East Texas EMS crews to the family’s apartment in Rusk. Aiden Wilkie recounted, "I went into a seizure and I couldn’t move and I couldn’t speak." She added that her daughter "rolled me onto my side, rubbed my hair and talked to my mom on the phone."
Aiden, who has lived with an epilepsy diagnosis since infancy, credits her daughter with ensuring she received essential care. Throughout the incident, Aiden’s mother, Ryan McCleod, maintained a FaceTime connection with her granddaughter, while Aiden’s father communicated with dispatchers, relaying information Noemi provided.
A significant challenge during the emergency was the locked apartment door and responders' difficulty in identifying the correct unit. Following instructions from the dispatcher and her grandparents, Noemi showed exceptional initiative. Ryan McCleod recounted that Noemi "dragged that chair" from the dining room to the front door and successfully opened it. McCleod also instructed Noemi to yell to help dispatchers locate the apartment, which she did, describing her granddaughter as "resilient beyond anything I ever expected." Once the door was unlocked, Noemi went outside with her cat, Nemo, and waited for first responders.
Lisa Wingfield, the EMS system status controller who dispatched the call, described the unique circumstances as requiring clear communication and composure under pressure. Wingfield drew upon skills from a previous career as a music teacher, ensuring her voice remained calm during the call, even as she worked to secure assistance. Wingfield later shared that she "went and cried because I was so happy they got help."
Aiden Wilkie expressed deep gratitude for the coordinated efforts of her daughter, her parents, the dispatchers, and the EMS crews on that day. "She is definitely my hero," Aiden said of Noemi.
