A 10-year-old Hamilton girl has been honoured with a superhero award after grabbing the wheel of a speeding car when her father suffered a seizure.
Veyda-Blu Toko-Gaylor's quick thinking saved her life and that of dad Reuben Gaylor on the drive home one Friday night in February.
Driving on the open road, the pair were travelling at around 100km/h when Mr Gaylor had a sudden seizure, incapacitating him.
"We were going to Pirongia where my uncle lives, dad told me he wasn't feeling well so I put down the window, then he started having a seizure," 10-year-old Veyda-Blu told Seven Sharp.
It was then her instincts kicked in and she sprung into action.
"I was very shocked, I knew what would happen if I didn't do anything, so I leaned over my dad and tried to drive the car.
"I was really scared I might hurt us, but I looked for somewhere to park, I drove into a bush and did hit a few ornaments," Veyda-Blu recalled.
After coming to a safe stop she checked on her dad and called 111 for help.
Thanks to Veyda-Blu's heroic efforts the pair escaped unharmed, with the car suffering "a few dents."
"If she wasn't there and did what she did it would have been a completely different situation.
"She really did save both of our lives," her proud dad told Seven Sharp.
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