Boston student, D’Andre Hicks, suffered a stroke in class and school officials called his mother, Alishia Hicks, to come to get him instead of dialing 911.
According to Boston 25 News, Alishia got into an argument with a nurse at Henderson Inclusion School after the medical worker told her that she didn’t think her son was having a stroke.
“Listen, there’s a small vessel problem on my mother’s side of the family that causes a stroke easily. If there’s any blockage in it, [it] is so important to get him to the hospital right away because he could die,” Alishia told the nurse. “Your professional eye may not see the stroke. It’s not visible, but if he’s telling you he is weak on his left side, please, at this point, I’m pleading with all intensity that I could muster up with no voice. Please get my son to the hospital, please.”
D’Andre’s mom previously had three strokes herself, making her unable to walk efficiently. Sadly, he is now unable to help her in the same capacity he did before his stroke.
He described how he felt during his recent stroke at his school. At the time, Alishia was sick and home alone, so she couldn’t pick him up.
“They start arguing with her on that while I’m out here stroking on the bed right now trying to stay up,” the 17-year-old high school junior said. “I was afraid that if I fell asleep or something like that, I was going to go into a coma or probably for the worst.”
His mother added that she was on the phone with Henderson Inclusion’s nurse for about 45 minutes with no 911 call. School officials contacted the Department of Children and Families instead.
“You could hear the other one in the background,” Alishia said. “The other nurse said to call DCF.”
Finally, the nurses called 911, and the 17-year-old student was brought to the hospital, where doctors treated his condition with medication. However, he reportedly hasn’t been back to his school as he said he no longer felt safe there.
“He’s not happy about the school right now. He doesn’t feel safe there,” his mother told reporters. “His words when he was in the hospital, he said, ‘Mom, I can’t believe they didn’t believe me.'”
A Boston Public Schools spokesperson recently released a statement about the teen’s unfortunate situation.
“Our concern is first with the health and well-being of this student. We are glad to hear he is recovering well. This serious incident is being reviewed by appropriate BPS staff, and therefore it would be inappropriate to comment further on this specific matter.”
In addition, Henderson Inclusion School sent a note to families saying paramedics were contacted to assist a student having a diabetic episode.
Alishia reportedly questioned if race played a role in Henderson Inclusion’s nurses not believing her son after he notified them that he had a stroke. She also wants them to be reprimanded for their actions.
