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Hamilton City board honors 9-year-old who called 911 to save his pregnant mother and unborn sister
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Summary
The Hamilton City School Board recognized Oliver Ware, a nine-year-old Fairwood Elementary student, for calling 911 after finding his mother unconscious; the district thanked his teachers for teaching emergency response skills.
The Hamilton City School Board on Thursday honored Oliver Ware, a nine-year-old student at Fairwood Elementary, after district and news reports said he called 911 and followed dispatcher instructions when he found his mother unconscious on May 2, helping to ensure the safety of his mother, Nikki Ware, and his newborn sister.
Board members said the district and the Ware family deserve public recognition for the incident and the life-saving outcome. "You are a hero to this district," a board member said during the meeting. The board presented Oliver and two of his teachers with tokens of appreciation and invited the family onstage for a photo.
Why it matters: Board members framed the recognition as an example of classroom learning having immediate, real-world effects. Superintendent comments at the meeting highlighted how the district’s health and safety instruction and teacher-led lessons can equip students with practical skills in emergencies.
In remarks played for the board and included in a local TV report, WLWT reporter Daisy Kershaw recounted that paramedics and hospital staff credited the quick 911 call and the dispatcher’s guidance with helping to preserve oxygen flow to the baby after Nikki Ware suffered seizures tied to high blood pressure. In the recording and in board comments, Oliver said simply, "I called 911," and described following the dispatcher’s instructions to check breathing until help arrived.
The board publicly thanked the teachers identified as Destiny Kirby Harvey and Michelle Palaza, noting they co-teach the classroom where Oliver learned what to do in an emergency. The superintendent commented that the recognition is a reminder of the importance of safety lessons in early grades and praised staff for their work.
Board members, the superintendent and district staff paused the meeting to invite the Ware family and teachers forward for the presentation and a photograph. The district also noted it will continue to emphasize emergency-response training in classrooms.
The board’s spotlight on Oliver concluded the meeting’s opening items and preceded the district’s regular business agenda.
