Halifax brothers hailed as heroes for taking action after crash

HALIFAX, Pa. (WHTM) - Brothers Aiden and Langston Mills received awards for their courage during a ceremony Friday at Halifax Elementary School.

"I heard this loud noise and then it just went black," Aiden Mills said. "And then, I opened my eyes and there was glass everywhere."

The fifth-grader remembers when a tree fell on his family's car in July. His mother, Sherice Mills, was trapped, but he and fourth-grade brother Langston stayed calm.

"The first thing I did was I prayed for mom, and then I got out and then walked to the front, and then I prayed again and this time I held her hand," Aiden Mills said.

The boys were trying to move the tree when first responders arrived on Route 225 over Peter's Mountain.

"I told my boyfriend, pull over, I'm going to go down and check it out, and that's when I came upon the accident," said Shyanne Minnier, a firefighter and EMT.

The Mills call Minnier their guardian angel for holding Sherice's neck steady.

Sherice survived but sustained a concussion, punctured lungs, broken bones and ribs, and nerve damage.

"I'm very grateful that I get to be with my family and watch my boys grow," she said. "We had some pretty important superheroes in our midst."

Halifax borough leaders hailed the brothers as heroes.

Classmates learned that it's sometimes kids who save their parents.

Sherice goes to physical therapy twice a day, seven days a week. She says she's optimistic about her recovery.

"I am doing so well because of everyone in the community," she said. "They wrapped their arms around me, the bystanders and the EMTs and just the people in my community. It's just amazing. I'm very humbled."

The Mills say a relaxing trip to Florida is in their future.