12-Year-Old Girl in Car, Grandpa Dies Behind Wheel at 80 MPH
A 12-year-old girl managed to save her own life when the driver of the car she was in suddenly died, leaving her to navigate the vehicle herself.
Miranda Bowman was just returning from a day of go-kart racing with her 63-year-old grandfather when he suddenly passed away while at the wheel with his foot on the gas. The car quickly reached speeds of over 80 mph, leaving Miranda to handle the situation alone.
The 12-year-old's first instinct was to reach for her phone and call 911, according the Associated Press. However, when she could not unlock her phone, she made a much more daring move instead. Unstrapping her seatbelt, Bowman slipped behind the driver's wheel and slowly put her foot on the brake while gently navigating the car into bushes and trees on the side of the road.
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The event occurred as Bowman was headed back to her home in Township, New Jersey. Her grandfather, Paul Parker, apparently had a history of heart condition and passed away at the wheel due to heart failure. No injuries occurred as Bowman drove into the bushes.
"He said he didn't feel well and told me to just keep talking to him," Miranda told the Burlington County Times. "Then he said he was scared, closed his eyes, and put his head on the glass. That's when I knew he was dead."
Miranda's parents were left with mixed feelings of emotion. While sad to hear of Parker's passing, they were also very proud of their daughter for being so brave.
"She is my hero," Stephanie Bowman, Miranda's mother said while still expressing grief over the loss of her father.
"As much as I am upset about losing my father, I can't even imagine how worse this could have been," she added.
