FAIRBORN, Ohio — Keegan Hall, 5, was in an SUV with his grandmother on his way to school Tuesday when his grandmother blacked out, crashed and rolled her vehicle onto its top on Yellow Springs-Fairfield Road in Fairborn.
It’s what Keegan did next that may have saved his grandmother’s life.
"I unbuckled myself while I was hanging — I hanged my arm and pushed down the lever that opens the car seat and that's how I got out," Keegan told News Center 7's John Bedell.
Keegan was able to get the attention of a person nearby to help pull him and his grandmother out of the SUV and call 911.
"Couldn’t be more grateful to the first responders who took care of mom — and ensured Keegan’s safety and then stayed there at the hospital with him until family got there,” said Jeff Hall, Keegan’s father.
The crash happened around 11:45 a.m. near a Fairborn firehouse. Firefighters were nearby training, but were able to take the emergency call.
Hall said his mother suffered a heart issue before the crash.
Keegan said he knew what to do in an emergency “because the car crashed.”
Hall said Keegan was thinking about his grandma from the time the crash happened, because she needed help.
“Very worried about his grandma, he loves his grandma and worried about school, getting to school,” Hall said.
The crash left Keegan without a backpack after the bag and its contents were ruined by gasoline that leaked in the wreck.
Keegan’s dad said he wants to thank the firefighters who waited at Soin Medical Center with Keegan until family arrived, and a nurse who bought the 5-year-old a new backpack full of supplies.