CHICAGO — A nine-year-old girl from Aurora is being credited with saving her mom’s life, and Tuesday night, the city awarded her for her quick thinking.

Aria Lamen received the City of Aurora’s Mayor’s Award of Excellence after her mom suddenly passed out when the two were home alone back in February, leading to Aria calling 911 and calmly explaining the situation to dispatch, despite the stress of the situation on her.

“911, what’s your emergency?” said the dispatcher over the phone.

“My mom was talking to me and she passed out,” replied Aria.

The dispatcher stayed on the phone with Aria through the entire ordeal, sending an ambulance to the house while asking the 9-year-old questions about what first responders could expect when they arrived.

“”Is she still passed out?” asked the dispatcher.

“Yes, she’s still breathing but she’s passed out,” replied Aria.

“We’re just going to hang out and talk to each other until [paramedics] get there to help you and then I’ll get your daddy, okay?” said the dispatcher.

“Okay, thank you,” replied Aria.

“Is there any dogs in the house?” asked the dispatcher.

“Yes, he’s a very good dog and he never barks or bites,” replied Aria.

Thanks to Aria’s clear and calm communication, first responders were able to quickly and efficiently get her mom, Caron Lamen, to the hospital. Lamen spent 16 days rehabbing in the hospital, but is back home now, thankful her daughter was watching over her.

“Doing everything correctly and being calm and seeing me on the floor was not easy, I’m sure it wasn’t at all,” Lamen said to her daughter. “But you did such a great job, and I am super proud of you. You are my little nurse, my little angel.”

With the ordeal behind them, the experience offered an important lesson that Aria is now happy to share.

“You need to know certain things. That way, just in case your parents or someone else or your guardian is in trouble, you can call 911,” Aria said.