My Summer Adventures
Hi, my name is
Alaysia Grier and I’m in 5th grade. When I grow up, I want to be a doctor or an actress or a dolphin trainer.
I like to sing and dance and draw and write plays and poetry. And I’m on the safety patrol at school. I have asthma
and I’m allergic to a lot of stuff – like peanuts and milk and ice cream and eggs and apples.
There are four kids in my family. Me and my two brothers and my sister. My dad is in Afghanistan now and I miss him
a lot. But I get to see him on the computer every week.
Alaysia’s dad had been in the military for 12 years until he was wounded in Iraq and received a medical discharge
a few years ago. He currently works for a civilian company that supports the Army and, for the next six months,
he’ll be based in Afghanistan.
Last summer we all got into our car and went away for the 4th of July weekend and stayed at a hotel with a big swimming
pool. We had so much fun in the pool, and every day my skin got all wrinkly from the water.
Alaysia’s family has a Chevrolet Traverse, which her mom says she loves because there’s room for the whole family
and their luggage.
One night we ate dinner at the restaurant next to the hotel. I ordered chicken fingers, my favorite.
"Last summer we all got into our car and went away for the
4th of July weekend and stayed at a hotel with a
big swimming pool. We had so much fun in the pool, and every day
my skin got all wrinkly from the water.
"
When I started to eat my throat got all itchy. I told Mom and she gave me my allergy pill but the itching got worse
and worse. Then I couldn’t breathe and I got real scared.
Mom told Dad we had to go the hospital right away. We got in the car but Dad said he didn’t know where the hospital
was. So Mom pushed that red OnStar button and a nice lady answered right away. She even knew our name. She told
Dad where to go and then another voice started talking to us. This was a man and he was asking Mom about me.
The OnStar Advisor directed the Griers to the nearest hospital and then patched in an OnStar First Assist Emergency
Advisor. First Assist Emergency Advisors are specially trained to obtain critical information on a victim’s condition
and to provide important first-aid instruction until first responders arrive.
Meet the two Emergency Advisors who helped Alaysia (video).
I heard the man ask Mom if she had an Epipen [EpiPen® auto-injector] with her. She said yes but she wasn’t sure
how to use it. The man told Dad to pull over and stop and then he told Mom to give me the shot in my thigh. I started
crying because I was scared and didn’t want a shot. But Mom hugged me and kept saying it was OK.
And then she gave me the shot so fast I didn’t even know it and then I could breathe again.
"I can’t wait to go on
vacation again this summer. Mom says she’ll pack up
the Traverse and take us to North Carolina to visit relatives.
That sounds like fun.
"
When we got to the hospital we didn’t have to stay long. I was getting pretty tired but Mom said we had to get my
prescription filled before we could go back to the hotel. But Mom and Dad didn’t know where to find a store that
was open so late. So Mom pushed that button again and this time a man answered. He knew our name, too. He found
a 24-hour store but he said he wanted to call it first to make sure it was open because it was a holiday. Mom and
Dad thought it was very nice that the man called the store for them.
After we got my prescription we went back to the hotel. But I don’t remember that very much because I fell asleep
in the car.
My favorite part of our trip was playing in the pool and watching the fireworks. They were so beautiful.
I can’t wait to go on vacation again this summer. Mom says she’ll pack up the Traverse and take us to North Carolina
to visit relatives. That sounds like fun.
Alaysia’s mom says her husband insisted they get a vehicle with OnStar so that he would know they would be OK no
matter where he was.
What is your favorite
summer vacation memory from your childhood?
Share it with us in the comments below.