What Would You Do If Someone You Love Collapsed Right Now? | by Elizabeth Aborisade

When Seconds Matter, What Would You Do?

Picture this for a moment.

You are at home. Everything is fine. Then, in an instant, someone you love collapses.

What would you do?

Would you call their name? Pour water on their face? Try to shake them awake?

Would you know what could save their life?

I didn’t.

It happened in 2014, in Jimeta, Yola, Adamawa State. My dad had just returned from a trip. He was tired but content. He ate, took a shower, and then, as he was about to leave the room, he suddenly… fell, just like that. No warning. We panicked. We screamed. Neighbours came rushing in. But no one knew what to do. Not really. Someone squeezed onion juice on his face. Another beat his chest. They called his name repeatedly, hoping he’d respond. Minutes passed. Then half an hour. Almost an hour later, they finally took him to the hospital. It was too late. He was gone. And I keep asking myself, even today: What if we had known what to do?

I wish I could say this was merely my story. But it isn’t.

Every day in Africa, health emergencies happen. A child falls from a height, and an older adult faints. A pregnant woman goes into labour too early. In those critical moments, people often do what they have seen others do.

Pour water on someone who faints.
Rub toothpaste or butter on burns.
Cut into a snakebite to “remove” the venom.

Massage sprains with hot water or balms.

They mean well. They want to help, but many of these actions… make things worse.

The truth is, the right things are simple.

✅ Check if someone is breathing.
✅ Place them in the recovery position.
✅ Cool burns with clean water.
✅ Keep snakebite victims calm and still.

But how do you learn this when…

Clinics are far away?

Data is too expensive?
Electricity isn’t reliable?
And hardly anyone gets proper first aid training?

The one thing most people do have? A phone.

What if that phone could guide you step by step on what to do?

This is very personal to me. My dad’s passing changed me forever. I don’t want anyone else to experience that same helplessness. When seconds matter, knowledge isn’t just power; it’s the difference between life and death.

If this resonates with you, I would love for you to join me on this journey.

💙 Share this story.
💙 Tell someone about it.
💙 Follow what we’re building.

Together, we can save lives through informed actions.

Source link