12-Year-Old Saves Family After Father Has Seizure on Rt. 95

A 12-year-old boy saved his father and sister Saturday morning after his father suffered a seizure while driving on Route 95 in Peabody.

Shortly before noon, State Police Danvers barracks received a 911 call from the boy reporting that his father had begun to have a seizure while he was driving the family car on the highway, State Police said.

The family was driving when the father, a 46 year old from Dracut, began to experience what the boy believed to be a seizure.

"The intrepid 12-year-old took control of the steering wheel and guided the family car into the breakdown lane. He then reached over and applied the breaks, bringing the car to a halt," State Police said in a press release issued Saturday afternoon.

The boy then took his father's cellphone and contacted 911.

"He calmly relayed that was unsure of his exact location but was able to give descriptive landmarks to better give state police cruisers searching for them a better location," State Police said. "The State Police central 911 call center in Framingham was having difficulty in getting an exact position and was only able to give the approximate area as Peabody."

"A short time later Sergeant Stephen Alteri and troopers Sean Stowe and Brian Cooper located the family on Route 95 southbound." police said. "On arrival to the scene troopers were surprised to find the young man had removed his 9-year-old special needs sister from the car and was waiting safely on the opposite side of the guardrail for help to arrive."

The boy's father was transported to Lahey North for treatment and is reported to be in good condition, according to State Police.