PEABODY, Mass — He’s too young to drive, but when a 12-year-old took the wheel anyway he may have saved both his father, his younger sister and himself from serious injury or worse.
John Canney Jr. and his two children were traveling through Peabody when the 46-year-old father had a sudden seizure, leaving the boy and his younger sister in a speeding, driverless car.
Next, according to a state police press release, “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 brakes, bringing the car to a halt.”
With his dad still out of commission, the boy next located his cellphone and dialed 911. Unsure where he was, the boy was able to provide enough clues that the police found him.
The father was taken to a hospital where police reported that he is in good condition.
The Massachusetts State Police commended the boy for his “quick thinking and courageous actions.”
