A young boy dialed 911—not for an emergency, but for help with his math homework. What officers discovered next made them rush to his home.

Ryan Crosby, just eight years old, sat staring at his math book, frustration written all over his face. “How am I supposed to figure this out?” he muttered.

With a deadline looming and no one to turn to, he grabbed the phone and called 911.

“911, what’s your emergency?” the dispatcher asked.

“My name is Ryan… Can you help me with math?”

“Ryan, this line is for emergencies, not homework help,” the operator replied. “Is there something urgent we can assist you with?”

But Ryan wouldn’t give up. “Please! My mom said 911 helps people… I really need help!” he pleaded.

At this point, the operator was tempted to end the call, but she needed to be sure it wasn’t just a prank. She decided to speak with Ryan’s mother.

“Alright, can you hand the phone to your mom?” she asked.

Ryan sniffled. “She’s not here… I wouldn’t have called 911 if she was.”

The operator’s concern deepened. “I see. Is there any other adult at home with you?”

“No… It’s just me.”

Within minutes, officers were dispatched to his home. When they arrived at 10 p.m., Ryan was alone. Ryan explained that when he got home from school, the house was already empty.

The officers tried calling his mother, Matilda, but her phone was off. Then, an update came in from dispatch—her phone’s last known location had been tracked.

The coordinates pointed to the outskirts of town. A K9 unit was brought in to assist.

Ten minutes later, they found her car abandoned on a remote road. Peering inside, they saw Matilda, motionless in the front seat.

Ten minutes later, an ambulance arrived and took Matilda to the hospital.

The doctor later explained that she had passed out from the heat. Her phone had died, and she’d been unconscious in the car all day. Thankfully, a window was slightly open, which saved her life.

The officer told Matilda how they had found her. The moment Ryan saw her, he ran over, sobbing, and threw his arms around her.

Matilda kissed and hugged her son, knowing she’d done the right thing by teaching him to call 911 when something was wrong.