That last sentence changed everything. Officers were dispatched immediately. They found Ryan safe but alone at home around 10 p.m. His mother, Matilda, hadn’t returned. Her phone was off, and she hadn’t contacted anyone.

Using her phone’s last signal, police searched the area. A K9 unit eventually found her car on a remote road. Inside, Matilda was unconscious—she had blacked out from heat exhaustion while driving. Thanks to Ryan’s call, she was found and rescued in time.

That night, when Matilda returned home, Ryan ran to her.
“Mommy! Where were you?”
“You saved me, sweetheart,” she whispered through tears.

His innocent call for homework help became a life-saving act.