According to a school official, a seventh grader in Michigan is being hailed as a hero for stopping his school bus from colliding after the driver fell unconscious.
Superintendent of Warren Consolidated Schools Robert D. Livernois praised Dillon Reeves, a student at Lois E. Carter Middle School in Warren, for his “extraordinary act of courage and maturity” on a bus journey after school on Wednesday.
Livernois said at a news conference on Thursday that the bus driver felt “some dizziness” while operating the vehicle and that she followed protocol by calling “home base” to let them know she wasn’t feeling well and was going to stop so the transportation department could send someone to help her.
However, the driver was unable to stop the bus as it began to swerve into oncoming traffic because she failed to arrive at the parking spot she had intended to use and eventually passed out.
Even in the midst of fear, Reeves, who was sitting around five rows back, “jumped up from his seat, threw his backpack down, ran to the front of the bus, grabbed the steering wheel and brought the bus to a stop in the middle of the road,” Livernois said.
Authorities showed a video of Reeves taking control of the steering wheel, gradually applying the brakes, and shouting to the other passengers, “Someone calls 911. Now. It’s time to dial 911. Not to me! Please dial 911!”
“He had the means to push it slowly, probably anticipating that the bus would be packed with passengers. The bus was full at the time, so despite the understandable terror on board, you can certainly assume that it had 66 passengers, according to Livernois, who also noted that there was no damage to the vehicle or any nearby property.
According to the superintendent, Warren police and fire services were on the scene quickly and treated the bus driver. According to a letter from Livernois to the school system, all pupils were loaded into a different bus to travel home.
The tweet below confirms the news:
A boy grabbed the steering wheel on a school bus and hit the brakes, bringing the vehicle to a safe stop on a busy Detroit-area road after the driver had passed out, authorities said. https://t.co/WbgDEDtJTB
— ABC 7 Chicago (@ABC7Chicago) April 28, 2023
Young Hero Stops School Bus After Driver Loses Consciousness: No Injuries Reported
According to Skip McAdams, commissioner of the Warren Fire Department, there were no injuries among the youngsters on the bus.
According to McAdams, the bus driver, a 40-year-old woman, is “stable but with precautions” and was sent to a hospital for a checkup.
During her assessment, treatment, and transport, the bus driver regained consciousness and was able to speak with emergency personnel. According to the fire commissioner, she had no physical wounds but experienced a medical emergency due to a loss of consciousness.
The driver, whose name will not be made public by the police out of respect for her privacy, is still being treated at the hospital and is being tested and watched, according to Livernois. She joined the district in July of last year, according to Livernois, who described her as a rookie driver.
Steve and Ireta Reeves, Reeves’ parents, lauded their son and referred to him as “our little hero.”
“First of all, let me say how proud we are. I mean, for all of us, this is overwhelming,” Steve Reeves stated during the press conference.
“Dillon, he’s been such a nice guy this year,” I said. He has made great progress. He has impressed us with excellent scores and performances in front of friends and peers at school. Ireta Reeves remarked, “And to do something like this simply fills my heart, makes my heart skip a beat.
Southeast Michigan’s Warren is located about 20 miles north of Detroit.
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