WATERTOWN, S.D.(KXLG)- On Wednesday, one of many parents’ worst nightmares happened to the Willett family of Watertown when their 4-year-old son, Jerry, started choking while at Head Start school. Thanks to the swift action of an employee, Darlena Jones, his life was potentially saved that day.

Darlena Jones is a cook at Inter-lakes Community Action’s Head Start in Watertown and, fortunately, just happened to be walking by.

The staff is trained for situations like this.

Darlena said Jerry was doing well.

Friday is a special day for Jerry as it is his birthday.

When they received the call, Brad and Marissa Willett had just arrived in Sioux Falls. They have now found out their three-week-old girl, Izzibella-Marie, has been diagnosed with DiGeorge syndrome, also known as 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, which is a condition caused when a small part of chromosome 22 is missing. This deletion causes several body systems to develop poorly. She is in the NCIU in Sioux Falls, and more information can be found on the families’ Help Me Bounce fundraising page. https://www.helpmebounce.org/campaign/willett-family