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SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WDIV) - Xavier Joe Xavier Joe, 10, was at his Southfield home Sunday night when he suffered an asthma attack.
His mother, Danielle, called 911. Then, she lost her breath.
"The only thing they said to me is that they could not find an EMS for my son. When I heard that I just said ... what did I just hear?" Danielle said.
Before she could bring Xavier to the hospital, he collapsed. Two neighbors performed CPR on the boy. Danielle says at least 45 minutes passed before Southfield EMS arrived.
Shortly after they arrived, Danielle's son was dead.
"I just know had my son gotten his request for an EMS, my son would have been here. There is no doubt in my mind," she said.
In a statement the city of Southfield extended its sympathies to the Joe family. The city says when Danielle called 911 a call from a family trapped in a house fire came in at the same time.
"As a result of this major deployment of our resources to the fire, the response time to this medical run was approximately 15 minutes," the city's statement reads.
The neighbors who tried to help say it was a lot longer than 15 minutes -- closer to 45 minutes.
Danielle Joe believes valuable time was wasted to save her son. She hopes what happened to Xavier might help save others.
"I really do hope that they improve their timing so that this will never happen to another family," she said.
Donations to help the Joe family can be made here.
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