When 8-year-old Ryan Crosby struggled with his math homework one evening, he remembered what his mom had always told him: “Don’t be afraid to call 911 if you ever need help.” So, in a moment of innocent desperation, Ryan picked up the phone and dialed.
“911, what’s your emergency?” the operator asked.
“I need help… with math,” Ryan replied.
The dispatcher, caught off guard, tried to make sense of the situation. Madison’s emergency line had handled a variety of strange calls before—but math help from a little boy? This was new.
At first, the operator assumed it was a prank. But something in Ryan’s voice felt different. When she asked to speak with a parent, he softly admitted, “My mom’s not home.”
Alarms went off. “Is there another adult with you?” she asked.
“No… I’m alone.”
Suddenly, the math problem didn’t matter anymore. The dispatcher quickly traced the call and sent officers to Ryan’s address. They found the boy alone in his house at 10 p.m.—no adults, just homework and worry.
“Where’s your mom?” an officer asked gently.
Ryan explained that he’d let himself in after school with the spare key, but his mom, Matilda, never came home.
The police tried calling her, but her phone was off. Concerned, they launched a search. Then came a lead—Matilda’s phone had last pinged near an abandoned mill on the outskirts of town.
A patrol team raced there with K9 support. After searching the area, K9 Caesar picked up a scent from Matilda’s scarf and led officers down a remote road. Minutes later, they spotted a stalled car.
Inside was Matilda—unconscious, alone, and motionless.
Paramedics arrived and rushed her to the hospital. She eventually regained consciousness and told officers she’d fainted from the heat while driving to her sister’s house and had no memory of what happened next. Her phone had died, and she had been unconscious all day.
A doctor confirmed that Matilda had likely passed out due to heat exhaustion. Had the window not been open, the outcome might have been tragic.
“Ryan’s call may have saved your life,” the officer told her.
Later, back home, Ryan ran into his mother’s arms, sobbing with relief. “Mommy, I missed you!”
Matilda hugged him tightly. “You did the right thing,” she whispered. “You saved me.”
That night, she realized just how powerful that one phone call was—and how her advice had made all the difference.
Inspired by Ryan’s story, other families in the community began teaching their children the same: Never be afraid to ask for help. Sometimes, even a math problem can uncover something much more important.