Boy, 12, Loses Leg On the Way To School While Trying To Save Mom and Baby Brother

In a heroic feat, a fearless 12-year-old boy saved the lives of his mother and baby brother in a near-fatal car accident. Unbeknownst to the courageous little boy, a day that seemed to be a routine trip to school one morning turned out to be a day that changed his life forever.

A boy named Parker Strong woke up on a regular Friday morning, energized and ready for the full day ahead in school. After he finished getting ready, little Parker excitedly rushed out of the house and hopped straight into his mother's car, ready to be driven to school.

Being the helpful big brother he is, Parker also helped his mom strap up and secure his baby brother in his car seat. The exuberant schoolboy was looking forward to attending the first Friday of the school year, engaging in his classes, and seeing his friends.

His mom pulled out of their driveway, and the trio began making their way on the roads. While driving, everyone started engaging in eager chatter about how much they were looking forward to what lay in store for the day.

What Parker could not have imagined happening is how much his life would drastically change on this fateful day. This was certainly not a regular morning drive to school, and Parker's life would never be the same.

What Began as a Normal School Day Turned into a Catastrophic Event

Approximately no less than 20 minutes into the drive, Emergency Medical Services were dispatched to save the family from an extremely severe car crash. In a sit-down interview with the family, Parker's mom, Sharonda Strong, emotionally explained how shocking the incident was because the day seemed like any other:

"The morning of the accident was like any regular morning. It was the first Friday of the school year, so it was still exciting. We were like, alright, let's get ready, let's take a picture, you know?"

After the proud mom finished snapping cute pictures of her son, the family proceeded to get on the road. Sharonda began to cry as she recalled what happened next in detail:

"As we're traveling from [home], we got past the high school, and Parker said we were just talking in the car. And he said I kind of started stumbling [over] my words, and he said that I just — I wasn't responding to him."

Parker also opened up about his recollection of the incident, recalling the moments leading up to the accident:

"I remember [me] having a conversation with my mom, and then [all of a sudden] she just stopped speaking to me. In mid-response."

Parker's Heroic Feat That Saved His Family's Lives

Sharonda had suffered a seizure while driving, which rendered her unconscious and unable to respond to Parker. Seeing this, the brave boy immediately sprung into action.

Despite his lack of experience driving a vehicle, he unbuckled his seatbelt and took control of the wheel as the car sped out of control and into oncoming traffic until it hit a tree. According to the young boy:

"It escalated quickly. Everything happened so fast, [and] I had to think on my feet."

Proud Mama Sharonda reiterated how fearless her son was at that moment. Looking back at the horrific experience, she confirmed that what Parker did that morning had undoubtedly saved all their lives:

"Parker was [seated] in the back, [and as soon as] he realized something was wrong, he [immediately] unbuckled his seatbelt and got to the front [of the car] to take over the wheel. He saved our lives."

Brave Parker's life-saving knee-jerk reaction is a skill few people can claim to harness. Recalling how his gut instinct enabled him to take control of the car, Parker shared:

"I remember grabbing the wheel, steering away from the traffic, and then from there [are] just like a few moments I remember. I remember screaming, [and] I remember seeing my brother. My eyes felt foggy, and I remember looking down, and [that's when] I saw my ankle had broken."

The injuries suffered by the trio varied in degree. Parker's mom had a few broken fingers and a tailbone fracture, while her youngest baby boy, thankfully, was not seriously injured and only had to have a few minor stitches.

Parker's injuries, unfortunately, were more severe than his mother's and baby brother's. He was rushed to the hospital with a broken ankle, punctured kidneys, broken ribs, and a perforated gallbladder. His mother remembered how devastated she was once she gained consciousness and saw the disastrous wreck in front of her:

"I woke up...in the trees, I was in the bushes, and I heard the baby in the backseat screaming. And I heard Parker screaming get me out of this car before I die. They finally got Parker out of the car, and they put him in the ambulance, and they just took him away."

Nineteen days into his two-month-long hospital stay, Parker was told he would need to have his leg amputated because his broken ankle was blocking his blood circulation. The little boy was justifiably devastated after hearing the news. Months following the amputation, his mental health rapidly declined, and Parker's mother reported:

"He developed severe depression and anxiety."

Parker had a tough time adjusting to his new normal after the amputation. However, the strong young boy fought hard to regain his usual cheery, confident, and active self.

After the Tragic Accident, Parker Is Now Happy & Thriving

With the help and generosity of the Greenville Shriners Children's in-house Pediatric Orthotic and Prosthetic Services (POPS) team, Parker was fitted with a prosthetic leg. This allowed him comfort, support, and the ability to become active in sports again.

His mother confirms that Parker has regained happiness and continues to persevere with a positive outlook on life. Currently, the young boy plays basketball on his middle school team.

At such a young age, Parker showed an unbelievable amount of strength and courage that most might never achieve in a lifetime.

Parker is also turning his pain into purpose by becoming an advocate and support system for those who have also suffered from tragedies. His compassion has allowed him to let people know that he can relate to their painful stories and assured them that they are never alone. According to his mom:

"These days, Parker is as strong as ever. The team at Shriner's Children's helped break the chains off Parker, and now he's limitless! They gave him his personality back [and now] Parker is using his story to comfort others."

The phenomenal child has even been compared to classic superheroes like Spider-Man, and rightfully so, because his actions showed that he is a real-life, modern-day superhero. Sharonda shared the following with regard to her son's heroic personality:

"I [always tell people], 'I live with a real-life hero.' His younger brother calls him Peter Parker all the time because they look at Spider-Man. Well, you don't understand Bryson; he's a real-life hero. He not only saved Mama's life, but he saved yours too."

Parker's compassion and courage are certainly qualities to admire and inspire. When asked about how he defines what it means to be a hero, he said:

"Hero to me means...a person that, no matter what, does as much as they possibly can to make sure everything stays intact...That's exactly what I want to make sure [that] I do for not only just my mom and my brother but for everyone that's ever around me. I want everyone to know that, no matter how big of a person he became in life, he always made sure that everyone around him was ok and was in great care."

Sharonda is an incredibly proud mother and is more than thankful for having raised a son with such essential and compassionate traits. She reported on Parker's continued tenacity and wants her son to know he can accomplish anything:

"He hasn't let anything stop him yet. Just keep going. The sky's the limit."

At such a young age, Parker showed an unbelievable amount of strength and courage that most might never achieve in a lifetime. The brave and heroic antics of children continue to inspire those old enough to fully grasp and understand the magnitude of their heroism. Parker now lives a life of fulfillment and happiness, focusing on his sports and helping others through difficult times.