Eight-year-old Ryan Crosby was struggling with his math homework and, remembering his mom’s advice to call 911 if he ever needed help, picked up the phone. “I just need help with my math,” he told the surprised operator. The dispatcher, suspecting a prank, asked to speak with an adult but Ryan admitted he was home alone and hadn’t seen his mother since school let out.

Alarmed, the operator traced his address and sent officers to check on him. At 10 p.m., police found Ryan alone, with no idea where his mom, Matilda, was. Her phone was off, and no one could reach her. Officers began a search, eventually tracing her phone’s last location to a deserted area outside town.

With help from a K9 unit, police found Matilda unconscious in her car, having passed out due to heat exhaustion. Her phone was dead, and she had remained unconscious for hours. Thanks to Ryan’s call, she was rescued just in time.

When Matilda recovered, she hugged Ryan tightly. “You saved my life,” she said. The moment served as a powerful reminder: teaching kids to call 911 in times of need can make all the difference.