IT was the most important phone call Charli McLane has made in her seven years.
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A fortnight ago Charli was home with her mum, Danielle and younger sister, Ella, aged three.
It was 5pm. Charli's dad, Tim, was at work at St Paul's Hostel. He wasn't due home until midnight.
Danielle, 31, was in the bathroom when she suffered a bleed on the brain. She collapsed.
Instantly Charli made the decision to ring her dad at work, just like mum had taught her.
Tim says he'll never forget the call.
"Charli said 'mum's lying on the ground sick daddy. She can't talk to me'."
Instantly Tim made calls and raced home. Fortunately his home in Cundletown isn't far from his work.
Danielle was eventually flown to John Hunter Hospital and then the Royal North Shore Hospital.
"That call saved Danielle's life,'' Tim said.
"If Charli hadn't made it, I'm afraid things would have been a lot different.
"The thing is, I have no idea how she got my number.''
Danielle and Tim now call Charli 'their little hero.'
Not surprisingly Tim describes the last fortnight as a blur. He's in Sydney with Danielle while the children are staying with his mum and dad at Wingham.
Charli attends St Joseph's Primary School in Taree.
Tim said Charli and her sister are coping reasonably well and he's explained what has happened to Danielle.
"She then puts it in her words to explain it to her friends,'' he said.
Charli and Ella visited their mum and dad in Sydney on Wednesday.
Danielle underwent surgery yesterday. Then rehabilitation will begin and Tim has no idea how long they'll be in Sydney.
"This is my hero,'' Danielle posted on Facebook this week along with photos of her and Charli.
"My beautiful daughter, Charli Margaret. She save my life by making one very important phone call. Please educate your children about knowing what an emergency is, what numbers to call and make sure they know how to use a phone. They are never too young.
"So proud of my baby.''