A mother of one threw residents of the Yaba area of Lagos State into a panic on Wednesday when she suddenly slumped due to complications from high blood pressure (BP).
The woman, believed to be in her 40s, was saved by the quick intervention of a communication expert, Olumide Abimbola, who was having his breakfast at a restaurant after dropping his car at a mechanic’s workshop nearby.
Abimbola narrated that the woman had walked into the restaurant holding her toddler, visibly distressed and complaining of a severe headache that had lasted since the previous day.
According to him, the woman revealed she had just returned from a hospital where she took her son for treatment.
The woman reportedly said she also used the opportunity of being in the hospital to complain about her persistent headache, and she was told upon examination that her blood pressure was dangerously high.
When urged by the restaurant owner to rest, the victim reportedly lamented the difficulty of resting while caring for her young son alone, noting that her husband was out of the country.
Moments later, the headache reportedly worsened, prompting the woman to step outside and pour a bottle of water over her head. As she attempted to walk back into the restaurant, she collapsed onto the ground.
Dangerous first-aid practices
The collapse triggered panic among onlookers and business owners in the area, who rushed to the scene to administer local first-aid measures.
“While trying to resuscitate the woman, a lot of people suggested different things. They rubbed onions in her eyes and put salt on her tongue, but none of it worked,” Abimbola recounted.
Realising the severity of the situation, the witness rushed to his mechanic’s workshop four shops away, ordered his vehicle to be jacked down immediately, and drove back to the restaurant to carry the unconscious woman into his backseat.
Accompanied by the restaurant owner, the motorist navigated Lagos roads to reach a hospital within ten minutes, where emergency medical personnel immediately commenced treatment.
Warning to mothers
Doctors successfully stabilised the woman after roughly 40 minutes of emergency care. Upon regaining consciousness, her immediate concern was the whereabouts of her son, who had been left under the care of the restaurant staff.
Abimbola said he used the opportunity to urge the woman to prioritise her health, noting that no chore or responsibility is worth losing one’s life over.
“I know raising a child alone isn’t an easy task, but you need to take things slowly. You need to be alive for this boy, and the only way you can achieve that is by prioritising your health first,” he told the woman.
Medical experts have consistently warned that hypertension remains a silent killer among adults, often exacerbated by stress, lack of sleep, and poor support systems.
Abimbola said the incident serves as a stark reminder for young parents, particularly mothers balancing domestic chores and childcare.
He urged them to undergo regular medical checkups and take signs of physical exhaustion seriously.
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