FROSTPROOF, Fla. -- A Polk County 6-year-old is being hailed a hero after his teacher collapsed to the classroom floor in front of several students.
ABC Action News spoke with Joyce Darr's son, Derek, Wednesday night about his mother's medical scare.
“You stepped up to the plate, kid," Derek Darr told Max, the little hero. "You are the real MVP, you’re the most valuable player of this incident here. You saved her life and we need more people like you in this world today.”
According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Darr fell to the ground August 22 at Frostproof Elementary School. Max Meza wasted no time racing into another classroom to get an adult to call 911.
"My heart dropped when I found out because, you know, a 6-year-old saving an older woman’s life," said Max's mom, Monica Aguilar. "So, for me, it was very, very exciting. And proud, you know, to be his mom.”
Darr is a substitute teacher after spending more than three decades teaching at Frostproof Elementary.
Max recently went to Lakeland Regional Health to meet Darr and her son, Derek. Derek gave Max his first pair of Air Jordans.
"He loved them, he thanked me, he hugged me," said Derek Darr. "I hugged him probably 20 more times and thanked him 100 more times.”
Polk Sheriff Grady Judd also recognized Max's quick-thinking actions, recently presenting him with a brand new bicycle and a citizens certificate.
"She was significantly injured," said Sheriff Judd. "She's still in the hospital at this time. Max is a hero. He saved her life."
