Boy Saves Family After Dad Slumps Over While Driving Back from Vacation

A 16-year-old boy saved his family after his dad went into cardiac arrest while driving them back from a family trip in Massachusetts.

Last month, Robbie Gomes was driving his family home when he slumped over behind the wheel on Route 9, his 16-year-old son Joshua Gomes told NBC affiliate WJAR.

Robbie had been driving in the left lane while his wife rode in the passenger seat, and their son and daughter were in the back. When the medical episode occurred, the car started drifting towards the center guardrail, Joshua told the outlet. Acting quickly, the teen said he jumped from the rear of the car and straightened the steering wheel. 

“I picked up his leg from the floor, and moved it onto the [brake], and we slowly stopped,” Joshua told WJAR. Once the car was safely stopped on the side of the road, the teen flagged down passing cars for help, while his mom called 911. 

Joshua and other drivers were able to get Robbie on the ground, allowing the teen to perform CPR on his dad for several minutes until first responders arrived, the outlet reported. At one point, Joshua realized his dad was without a pulse. 

“With him being there, doing that CPR so quickly, and resuscitating me and keeping me going until the ambulance came, saved my life,” Robbit told WJAR of the life-saving tactic his son learned the previous semester in school. “If I was by myself, I wouldn’t be here right today.”

The Massachusetts State Police did not immedatley respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

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Robbie can’t remember the near-death incident, only three days afterward, when he was in the hospital. He was there for 10 days and had surgery to have a pacemaker implanted, WJAR reported. 

today recovered, Robbie said he will never forget how his son saved his life.