Teen hero honored by state Assembly

It was a thrilling moment for 14-year-old Tyler Purvis-Mitchell as he stood in the Statehouse Tuesday morning, basking in the applause by legislators.

Purvis-Mitchell was being honored for his quick thinking in late May, when he saved a baby's life by snatching the five-day-old newborn from under the tired of a bus that was about to pull away.

The mother had been unaware that the child had fallen from the stroller she had struggled to get on the bus.

A resolution was presented on the floor of the State Assembly this morning to celebrate Purvis-Mitchell's heroism.

"At about 2:00 in the afternoon, after Tyler left school, little did he know he would instantly save a young person," remarked Assembly Majority Leader Ron Canestrari.

"I was just walking along and I saw the baby was on the bus side, and I ran over there and picked her up," Purvis-Mitchell recalled.

Purvis-Mitchell's mother was at Tuesday's meeting of the Assembly. "I'm overwhelmed," she said. "I didn't expect all the hoopla over my son. We're proud of him, and appreciative -- very appreciative."

Tyler's mother, teachers and some of his classmates were on hand to pay tribute to the teen.

Tyler humbly said he did not expect to be a hero, nor did he ever imagine he would be recognized for saving a life.