On Wednesday afternoon, a school bus carrying students from Lois E. Carter Middle School in Warren, Michigan, was on its way home when something unexpected happened. The bus driver, who had felt dizzy earlier, passed out at the wheel and lost control of the vehicle. The bus started to swerve into oncoming traffic, putting the lives of the passengers and other drivers at risk.
But one student did not panic. Dillon Reeves, a seventh grader who was sitting five rows behind the driver, noticed that something was wrong and sprang into action. He ran to the front of the bus, grabbed the steering wheel and hit the brakes, bringing the bus to a stop in the middle of the road. He then told his fellow students to call 911 and waited for help to arrive.
Reeves’s quick thinking and bravery prevented what could have been a tragic accident. He is being hailed as a “little hero” by his school district, his community and his parents. The Warren police and fire departments responded to the scene within minutes and treated the bus driver, who regained consciousness and was taken to a hospital for examination. No one on the bus or on the road was injured.
The bus driver, whose name has not been released, had experienced some dizziness while driving and had followed protocol by alerting her base that she was not feeling well and was going to pull over. However, she did not make it to her intended destination before losing consciousness. She is still in the hospital undergoing testing and observation.
Reeves said he learned how to drive from his father, who used to let him sit on his lap and steer on country roads when he was younger. He said he was scared but he knew he had to do something to save his friends and himself.
“I just did what I had to do,” Reeves said at a news conference.
A Michigan school district has released school bus video showing 7th grader Dillon Reeves taking the wheel and helping to stop the bus after the driver had a medical emergency.
“I could not be prouder of his efforts," said the district superintendent. https://t.co/KcmFixIF2h pic.twitter.com/BFsCViEpa4
— ABC News (@ABC) April 28, 2023
