Every parent makes sacrifices for their children, giving of their time and energy. And if put in the situation where the need arises, many parents wouldn’t even think twice about putting their own life on the line to save their child’s.
But it’s a rarity when the situation is reversed – when a child is put in a position where they are the one called to make a sacrifice. Most young children never imagine themselves having to make such a choice.
Late Night Party
Just after midnight on December 2, 2007, a woman named Seliethia and her 7-year-old daughter Alexis were getting into the car of a friend named Alicia. It was a lot later than normal for her daughter to be going out, but they were heading to a late night get-together for Alicia’s mother’s birthday.
Excited Child
Alicia got into the back seat and her mother got into the front, both excited for a little bit of late-night fun. Neither of them could have had any idea of what kind of ordeal the night had in store for them.
Ambush
As they were getting into the car, a man with a handgun leapt out of the bushes and ambushed the women. Like something out of the movies, he forced them into the car and got in as well, telling Alicia to drive.
Personal Connection
The gunman wasn’t just looking for some random victims to attack. He had actually been waiting outside of Seliethia’s home, hoping for an opportunity just like this one. His name was Calvin and he was a spurned lover.
Stalker
Seleithia had met Calvin earlier in the year and they’d dated for about three months. But when she broke off the relationship, he reacted in just about the worst way imaginable. “He was harassing me,” she said. “He would constantly call my house, popping up in the middle of the night.”
Just Drive
Apparently that night, he’d been standing out in the cold with bad intent and the late night excursion provided a perfect opportunity. He didn’t seem to have a clear plan in mind, and just told Alicia to drive around aimlessly.
Please Don’t Do This
The next few minutes were spent in utter terror as Seleithia Parker begged her former boyfriend not to hurt her or her daughter Alexis. As Calvin Tillie seemed to be getting more agitated over time, Alicia’s mind raced to come up with a way for the three of them to escape from the situation alive.
Quick Thinking
Thinking quickly, Alicia Ford managed to convince Calvin that she was running low on gas. If he intended to go anywhere more than just a few minutes away, she said, they were going to need to stop for fuel. Calvin reluctantly agreed to stop at a gas station, but only allowed Alicia to get out of the car.
Shots Fired
When she got out, Alicia covertly informed the gas station attendant of the situation and tried to stall for time as he dialed 911. But Calvin must have gotten the sense that something was up because she suddenly heard shots ringing out from the car.
Incredible Heroism
Inside the car, Calvin had turned the handgun on Seleithia and managed to pull the trigger twice before Alexis took action. She screamed, “Don’t hurt my mother!” at the top of her lungs before jumping between the two of them.
Completely Selfless
“Alexis jumped over the seat to try and save my life,” Seleithia said. Without a thought for her own safety, she used her tiny body as a human shield, absorbing the next six shots from Calvin’s gun.
Terrible Injuries
The little girl was struck in the right eye, chin, cheek, chest, and jaw before Calvin bolted from the car, trying to flee the scene. Seleithia was badly injured too, with the first two shots striking her in the arm and grazing the side of her head.
Quick Response
Because police were already on their way to the scene, they were able to apprehend Calvin as he fled on foot, just a few minutes after the shots rang out. Paramedics were also able to arrive quickly to attend to the wounded woman who was unconscious in her car seat and her heroic daughter, who was curled up beneath the steering wheel in a pool of blood.
Stabilized
Amazingly, medics were able to rush Seleithia and her daughter Alexis to the hospital in time for them both to be stabilized. Seleithia was able to recover fairly quickly from her wounds but Alexis’ injuries were far more extensive.
Coming Back
The 7-year-old lost her right eye and would have to endure multiple surgeries to address all of her wounds. But just days later, her face swollen and wrapped in bandages, she regained consciousness holding her mother’s hand and the hero child gave it a squeeze.
Amazing Recovery
“She is doing much better,” Seleithia said. “She opened up one eye. Everything seems to be going great.” Over the course of the next two months, Alexis would come through all of her surgeries and recover until she was healthy enough to go home. In defiance of doctors’ warnings that she might never walk or talk again, Alexis thrived.
Born Tough
Her recovery from her gunshot wounds wasn’t the first time Alexis proved her resilience. She suffered a stroke before age one and suffered from epilepsy, which despite her recovery, left her with some developmental issues.
Small Savior
But none of that could stop her from having a hero’s heart. Alexis told ABC news that she loved her mother a lot and simply didn’t want to see her get hurt. “I saved my mom,” she said, adding that she didn’t consider herself a hero.
Widespread Support
Her mother felt otherwise, saying “She’s my angel and I love her to death.” As news of Alexis heroism spread, she got support from hundreds of people through letters and social media. Her school also received enough donations to set up a $30,000 trust fund for the little girl.
Behind Bars
As for Calvin Tillie, he was charged with two counts of attempted murder for shooting the mother and child. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison and the judge in his trial was so disgusted by his actions that he vowed to personally appear before the parole board in 2033 at his first opportunity for release to argue that he should remain in prison.
