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People Taking Action: Two girls take action after mother blacks out while behind the wheel

Posted at 6:57 PM, Jul 01, 2014
and last updated 2014-07-01 20:34:09-04

Virginia Beach, Va. - Nicole Roper can recall approaching a small bridge on Indian River Road on what had been a fairly normal day with her daughters.

"I literally picked her up from horseback riding lessons and was heading home. I apparently blacked out and went into the seizure and my daughter here saved me and my young one called 911," says Nicole.

Back in April, Nicole was driving down a stretch of Indian River Road when she had a seizure. She blacked out and they were running off the road and into oncoming traffic.

Her daughter Angel was in the passenger seat.

"I noticed we're speeding up, and we're about to hit a car. That's what I noticed first,” says Angel.

The 14-year-old grabbed the steering wheel in an effort to control the car.

But they don't hit anything and she throws the gear shift into park stopping their SUV inches from a mailbox.

"It was really scary,” says the 14-year-old.  Her dad wasn't with them and says it was a miracle how it all unfolded.

"So the fact she executed all of that, missed this pole, didn't run into oncoming traffic, didn't flip the vehicle, came to a stop."

Angel's younger sister, 5-year-old Trinity, took action as well using her sister's cell phone to dial 911. One of the things Trinity told the dispatchers was, ‘I don't want a new mommy,’ and they now don't need a new mommy thanks to their quick action.

For their quick thinking,  we presented both sisters with a NewsChannel 3 People Taking Action Award. We also gave them a $100 Visa gift card from our community partner Southern Bank. We also gave both girls People Taking Action pins.

Virginia Beach's mayor, Will Sessoms in council chambers declared Angel and Trinity, “Virginia Beach Lifesavers.”