Imagine this: you are an elementary school teacher driving home from work after a long day of teaching the future generation when, seemingly out of nowhere, you notice one of your former students biking down a busy road. The little guy is only 7-years-old; what do you do? Do you stop and help, or do you continue driving?
Believe it or not, this very scenario recently took place in Greenville County, South Carolina when first-grade teacher, Keller Sutherland, encountered her former student, Cameron, struggling to bike down a busy road. Luckily, she followed her instincts and pulled over to help the young boy, and when she did, she realized that he was actually attempting to make it five miles down the road to his grandmother’s house in an effort to save his ailing dad.
A video, which was produced by Ellen Woodside Elementary, the school in which Sutherland teaches and Cameron attends, details the harrowing experience.
The viral video has already been viewed over 31,000 times in the four days that it has been made public. It was posted on the Greenville County Schools Facebook page. Alongside the clip, the school district wrote:
Teachers create bonds with their students every day. This week a teacher and student saved a life. Keller Sutherland was driving home from Ellen Woodside Elementary when she saw a child riding down Highway 25 on his bicycle. The child appeared scared and was peddling as fast as he could. Sutherland recognized the child as one of her former students. With her help Cameron was able to get home safely and contact first responders to revive his unconscious father.
In the video, we get a better idea of what happened the day when a teacher happened upon a former student, riding his bike down a busy roadway. After stopping the car and approaching the little boy, Sutherland asked Cameron what was going on. Amazingly, the 7-year-old produced quite the direct answer for someone his age.
“My dad’s diabetic and sometimes he has episodes, and when he does, he loses brain function,” Cameron told the teacher on the side of that roadway. He explained that he was headed to his grandmother’s house after he realized that none of his neighbors were around to help.
7 going on 70, huh?
Sutherland questioned him further by asking the little guy why he hadn’t called 9-1-1, but he reported that his father’s cell phone was locked, so he couldn’t access it to call the emergency number.
On a side note, administrators with Ellen Woodside are now planning to teach all of its students about the emergency call function on cell phones which can be accessed without the passcode. Good call!
We’re so happy to hear that these two heroes, both teacher and student, found one another on this fateful day. Whatever you may believe might have brought them together, it’s hard to deny the fact that their chance meeting was a life-saving one indeed!
To learn more about this heartwarming tale, and to meet Keller Sutherland and Cameron for yourself, be sure to watch the video below! Something tells us that this kiddo will never forget his first-grade teacher.
We’d love to get your take on this incredible story! Are you amazed that little Cameron decided to hop on his bike and drive down a busy ride to save his dad? Did you ever have to do something similar as a child? How do you prepare your kids for emergency situations like this?