How one teen’s 911 tragedy is helping save lives today

Eight years after 16-year-old Kyle Plush died after becoming trapped in his family’s car outside a Madisonville school, his parents are continuing to honor his memory by supporting the people who answer 911 calls and by sharing safety tips aimed at helping first responders find callers faster.

Ron and Jill Plush, along with volunteers from their organization, the Kyle Plush Answer the Call Foundation, are visiting nearly 30 911 call centers during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. They are dropping off items as a way to thank dispatchers and other telecommunicators.

“We’d like to share our appreciation for the really hard job that the telecommunicators have, the dispatchers, anybody that’s within that center,” said Ron Plush, Kyle’s father.

Jill Plush said the foundation is also sharing a message about doing your best.

“We made coasters, and the coasters have the foundation logo on them, Kyle’s picture, and it says, 'Thank you for answering the call to be your best self every day.' And that’s really the message that we share: it’s not about being perfect; it’s about being your best self,” said Jill Plush.

Kyle Plush died after being trapped in his car outside the Seven Hills School. Despite using Siri to call 911 twice, dispatchers and police were unable to find him. Jill Plush said that mindset of being his best reflected how her son lived.

“I just got done reading a book of memories that was shared with me by Kyle’s friends and the staff at Seven Hills along with people that just wrote in about Kyle and how he touched their lives, and he was just he was a fun person to be around,” said Jill Plush.

The Plushes started their foundation four months after losing their son. They have pointed to the impact Kyle’s story has had, including on a dispatcher in St. Petersburg, Florida, who initially believed a 911 call was accidental.

“It was because of Kyle’s story that made him think I need to look into this further. This seems strange; something’s not right here, and then he was able to find out and communicate with this caller, who actually was communicating through eye-to-text technology. They were quadriplegic,” Jill Plush said.

Ron Plush said the foundation’s work and the ways others have used Kyle’s story to help people have helped his family keep going.

“I think Kyle giving his life and the people that are benefiting by turning that into something positive and being able to share the message through the foundation. You know, I think it’s really what keeps us going,” said Ron Plush.

The foundation’s website also provides tips on how phones can help first responders in critical moments.
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