A Valley family is giving thanks, after their son saves his father's life by making an emergency phone call.

Kevin Murray has Down Syndrome, and was the only person at home during the time when his father, Don, fell off a 15-foot ladder.

Labor Day was a was a scary day for the Murrays. Don was doing some work in his backyard, when he fell off the ladder. Kevin, 35, can't read or write, but he has been learning how to a smartphone recently, and was able to make an important call to his mother.

"I'm so thankful that we were able to teach Kevin how to use the phone, because I don't know what would've happened," said Terry, Kevin's mother. "I really don't."

While Kevin can't read, Terry said each person that's in Kevin's smartphone has a picture associated, and he uses the pictures to go by. Due to what he has learned, Kevin was able to pick up the phone to call his mom, when his father fell off the ladder.

"He was crying and said, 'mom, dad on the ground. Dad hurt. Dad on the ground'," said Terry. "Immediately, I said, 'I got to go. I got to get home, something is wrong'."


Don had broken a couple of bones in his body, including his back bone. He was in the intensive care unit for a week, and then transferred to a rehabilitation center for six weeks, due to the extent of his injuries.

Don is a man of a few words, but said he was grateful Kevin was there that day.

"I thought he was pretty smart for doing that," said Don. "I thank him for it too."

Kevin has been receiving care services, focusing on important life skills like using a cell phone, through United Cerebral Palsy of Central Arizona.

"Because of the services he receives from UCP, he picked up that cell phone, he made that call," said Karla Verdugo with UCP of Central Phoenix. "He knew it was an emergency, and he potentially saved his father's life."

United Cerebral Palsy serves people with all disabilities and challenge.

United Cerebral Palsy of Central Arizona

https://ucpofcentralaz.org/