People often think they know how they would react in an emergency situation, especially after details emerge on how someone else handled it. It’s easy to say, “Oh, I would’ve just done this,” but in reality, most people have no idea what they would do in an emergency, especially if they aren’t trained. We hope we would respond appropriately while simultaneously hoping we never have to find out.
One seventh grader found out exactly what his reaction to an emergency situation would be when his bus driver lost consciousness while driving a bus full of children. Dillon Reeves was riding the bus when he noticed his bus driver’s body go limp and her hand fall off the steering wheel. Just a few minutes before, the bus driver appeared to be hot and was fanning herself with her hat before alerting the station that she wasn’t feeling well over the handheld radio.
Before the driver could get the bus to safety, she passed out. That’s when Dillon jumped out of his seat and ran to the front of the bus.
The middle schooler immediately took control of the situation by grabbing the wheel and bringing the bus to a safe stop. He also made sure to tell the students on the bus to call 911. While it looks like he had trouble figuring out how to shift the gear into park, he was able to hold his foot on the break until help comes, which included two bystanders, according to Good Morning America.
“I asked him, ‘Dillion, how did you know what to do? How did you know how to drive that bus?’ and he said, ‘I watch her do it every day,'” Dillon’s stepmom, Ireta Reeves, said at a press conference.
Thanks to Dillon’s quick actions, none of the children were harmed and the driver was able to get medical care. Currently, the bus driver is still in the hospital for testing and observation.
Watch the heroic action below: