MASSILLON, Ohio (WJW) – Twin brothers from Stark County are being honored for actions they took to help save their mother after she suffered a medical emergency while behind the wheel.

The story begin to unfold while Crystal Thompson of Massillon was taking her 11-year-old sons, Jordan and Jermel Taylor, to visit their grandmother on Feb. 25.

Crystal suffered an epileptic seizure as the family’s SUV was traveling along State Route 21, near Route 30.

Jordan noticed that his mom suddenly stopped talking.

“I was like, ‘Jermel, I think she’s about to have a seizure,’ and all I knew was her neck was like turned back and it fell against the window,” Jordan said.

As the SUV was heading for a concrete wall on the side of the highway, Jermel grabbed the steering wheel from his mom.

“While she was having the seizure, I thought to myself, ‘let’s not injure all the people on the road in the cars and let’s try to keep everybody safe.’ I decided to grab the wheel and turn into a safer place,” he said.

After Jermel steered the SUV into the grass on the side of the highway and helped bring it to a stop in a ditch, his brother Jordan turned off the engine and called 911 to get help for their mom.

“Mom, mom? Are you all right?” Jordan is heard asking on a 911 call.

“Does anybody need paramedics?” the dispatcher asked.

“Yes, my mom,” he responded.

“OK, what happened, did you guys just lose control?” the dispatcher asked.

“She had a seizure,” Jordan responded.

Crystal did not realize what happened until she woke up in the back of an ambulance.

“Honestly, I was just so thankful that they knew exactly what to do for me because they’ve seen me have seizures before, but this one really was just out of the blue,” she said.

Police officers who were called to the scene are convinced that the boys not only saved their mom and themselves, but they also protected other drivers on the highway that day.

On Monday, the city of Massillon honored Jermel and Jordan with a special commendation for their courage and quick thinking.

“11-year-olds don’t typically have that quick witted response like normal adults would. I was very impressed. They were very calm. They obviously were very concerned for their mother,” Massillon Police Sgt. Audrey Aiello said.

Jermel and Jordan say everything they did that day was born out of their love for each other and their mom.

“I felt like I’m always around my mom and my brother 24/7. Even though me and my brother argue a lot, we’re still close, because all I ever remember is that we always stick together,” Jordan said.

The twins say their story shows why it’s important to be aware of your loved ones’ medical conditions and to know how to deal with them.