A young boy is being celebrated as a hero after he saved the day when his mom fainted at the wheel of their car.

On Wednesday (January 14), 12-year-old Zac Howells was awarded the Chief Constable’s Commendation — an honor celebrating “individuals who demonstrate exceptional bravery, outstanding courage and actions that go beyond what is normally expected” — by West Mercia Police in Hindlip, Worcestershire.

According to a news release from the department, Zac‘s mom, Nicola, “suffered a medical episode” while driving on December 14.

She fainted with her foot still on the gas pedal. However, Zac was able to take control of the situation and got them both to safety.

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“Quick thinking Zac attempted to wake his mum before taking control of the steering wheel and he guided the car onto a grass verge to slow it down,” the release stated, adding that he called the police and alerted them of what happened after he got the car stopped.

Thanks to his intervention in what Chief Constable Richard Cooper described as an extremely frightening experience,” no one was injured.

“For a 12-year-old to react in such a calm and mature manner is magnificent and I would like to express my gratitude for his actions that day,” Cooper said in the press release, adding, “His display of bravery certainly extinguished any danger to them both but also that of other members of the public who were on the road that day.”