Brave twin boys, 11, steer car off the highway after mom has seizure while driving

When Crystal Thompson, of Massillon, was driving her 11-year-old sons, Jordan and Jermel Taylor, to visit their grandmother on February 25, she suffered an "incapacitating medical emergency." While traveling near State Route 21 South and State Route 30 East, twins Jordan and Jeremel leaped into action. According to PEOPLE, Thompson drove the family's SUV around 10:30 a.m. when she had an epileptic seizure. Jordan quickly assessed the situation and told his brother, Jermel, "I think she's about to have a seizure." Jermel, who was in the passenger seat, steered the wheel, guiding the car off the road and into a safer, grassy area.

"While she was having the seizure, I thought to myself, 'Let's not injure all the people on the road in the cars and let's try to keep everybody safe,'" Jermel said during an interview with CBS affiliate WTRF-TV. Jordan directed his brother toward the field and called 911 for help. Jordan was shaken and unable to speak with the dispatcher. "I was, like, so scared," he added. Thompson was transported to a nearby hospital safely and she expressed her pride in her sons for their bravery. "I will say I'm very thankful for my fiancé, who taught them how to drive a tractor, and my dad has taught them how to ride go-karts, so that's always a plus," said Thompson.

Their mom does not remember much about what happened when she woke up in the back of an ambulance. "Honestly, I was just so thankful that they knew exactly what to do for me because they’ve seen me have seizures before, but this one was just out of the blue," she said. When Sergeant Audrey Aiello arrived on the scene, she was impressed with how the boys handled the situation. When Jordan pulled up to the grassy fields, he saved the lives of other drivers that could have sustained serious injuries. The sixth graders who take classes through Massillon Digital Academy were overwhelmed by everything that had happened, and all they wanted to do was keep everybody safe. "It was instinct. I never knew I could do that because I never drove a car before," Jermel told WEWS-TV.

"I have a 10-year-old who is almost 11, and I'm not sure what she would have done in this situation," Aiello said. "Eleven-year-olds don't typically have that quick-witted response like normal adults would. I was very impressed. They were very calm. They were obviously very concerned for their mother." Aiello wrote a letter of special commendation for the boys presented to them by Aiello and Kathy Catazaro-Perry, the mayor of Massillon, thanking them for their "quick thinking in a time of crisis." "Their brave actions are honorable, and we just want them to know that we appreciate everything that they have done for themselves, their mother, and the community," added Aiello.

The boys noted that whatever they did was all because they love their mom, adding that she is "the best mom ever." The twins appreciate their cooperation in helping to save her. "I felt like I was always around my mom and my brother, 24/7. Even though me and my brother argue a lot, we’re still close because all I ever remember is that we always stick together," Jordan said. The twins hope their story will serve as a reminder to people about the medical condition of their loved ones and how to deal with them.