Eight-year-old Ryan Crosby was stuck on a math problem, so he dialed 911, remembering his mom once said, “Don’t be scared to ask for help.”

“911, what’s your emergency?” the operator asked.
“I need help with my math homework,” Ryan said innocently.

The dispatcher thought it was a prank—until Ryan revealed he was home alone at 10 p.m. His mom, Matilda, hadn’t come home since he returned from school. Alarmed, the dispatcher traced the call and sent officers to his house.

Ryan explained he had used a spare key to get in. Police couldn’t reach Matilda—her phone was off. Tracking her last location led them to an old mill outside town. A K9 unit found her unconscious in her car, overheated and stranded.

She was rushed to the hospital and regained consciousness. Matilda had fainted while taking a shortcut to visit her sister, and her phone had died.

The officer told her, “One call from your son saved your life.”

When she returned home, Ryan hugged her tightly.
“You told me to call 911 if I needed help,” he cried.
She smiled, “And you did. You saved me.”

From then on, Ryan was called a little hero.