Sunday, June 27, 2010

Boy, 11, drives to safety after mother blacks out behind the wheel

A quick-thinking 11-year-old boy from Coweta County is credited with driving his family out of harm's way. The boy was forced to make a split-second decision when his mother blacked out from a sudden seizure while she was behind the wheel. Bailey Brogan described the terrifying ordeal and the split second decision that saved the lives of Bailey, his mother and his two sisters. "I didn't have any clue what was going on," said Nicole Brogan.

Brogan said she didn't remember the moment she blacked out from a seizure while she was behind the wheel of her car just after 11:00 a.m. Thursday. Brogan said she thought she was travelling about 55 to 60 miles per hour on Highway 34 East in Newnan when the seizure happened. It's a moment 11-year-old Bailey Brogan says he will never forget. The Sharpsburg boy said his little sisters, 3- year-old Breana and 5-year-old Audri, were in the backseat panicking and crying for their mom.



"I said calm down, everything's [going to] be alright," said Bailey Brogan. The 11 year old said the car was moving dangerously close to the vehicle ahead so he quickly grabbed the wheel to avoid a collision. Bailey Brogan then managed to steer the car until he reached the entrance of the Newnan Yamaha plant. "I was trying to stay in the lanes, then I thought to take the keys out of the ignition, [and it] slowed the car down," recalled the 11 year old.

Bailey Brogan's dad, Nate said paramedics praised his son's efforts. When Bailey Brogan's dad later retraced the events of the terrifying ride, he said he realized that his son drove nearly two miles, only hitting a few kerbs and all the while buckled in the passenger seat. "It's a feeling of, this is my first born - my only son - and he just saved my family's life. How can you repay that?" asked Nate Brogan.

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