A Boston high school student is lucky to be alive after school nurses delayed calling 911 while he was suffering a stroke. Instead, the nurse insisted his mom, who has a history of strokes, come pick him up.
D’Andre Hicks suffered his first stroke last week while at the Henderson Inclusion School. When the nurse called his mother, who was home sick and immobile, she explained there was a history of a small vessel problem that could lead to a stroke within the family.
The nurse disagreed and insisted that Alishia Hicks come pick up D’Andre. The family argued back and forth with the nurse for 45 minutes, who called the Department of Child and Families instead of calling 911.
“They start arguing with her on that while I’m out here stroking on the bed right now trying to stay up,” D’Andre told Boston25 News. “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.”
After placing the call to DCF, the nurse finally called 911. D’Andre was treated with medication at the hospital, and the stroke was stopped. The junior spent two days in the hospital and is now back home. However, he has not returned to school.
“He’s not happy about the school right now. He doesn’t feel safe there,” Alishia said. “His words when he was in the hospital, he said mom, I can’t believe they didn’t believe me.”
A district spokesperson told the outlet that the incident is under investigation and declined to comment further.
“Our concern is first with the health and well-being of this student,” the spokesperson said. “We are glad to hear he is recovering well.”
Alishia Hicks believes racial bias played a factor in delaying treatment for her son. She is asking that the nurses involved face discipline and receive more training.
