A seventh-grader in Michigan is being hailed as a hero after he stopped a school bus from crashing when the driver suddenly lost consciousness while driving.
“An extraordinary act of courage and maturity,” said Robert D. Livernois, principal at Lois E. Carter Middle School, of the boy’s effort. reports CNN.
It was Wednesday afternoon that Dillon Reeves, a student at Lois E. Carter Middle School in Warren, southeast Michigan, took immediate action when the bus driver suddenly passed out.
The driver, a woman in her 40s, had experienced dizziness and therefore alerted her employer that she needed help. However, she did not make it to the place where she planned to park before she passed out, whereupon the bus began to enter the opposite lane.
Reacted immediately
Dillon Reeves, who was sitting five rows behind the driver, reacted immediately when he realized the danger of the situation.
In a video released by Warren authorities, he can be seen throwing off his backpack, running to the front of the bus, then taking control of the wheel and stopping the bus in the middle of the road.
During the panicky situation, he also allegedly urged the other students on board to call the police.
“A great guy”
Only a few minutes after the 13-year-old was stopped on the bus, the police and the fire brigade arrived at the scene. Everyone on board escaped unharmed, and the students were ushered onto another bus that could take them home safely.
The bus driver also escaped without physical injuries, but is still under observation in hospital.
Dillon Reeves is now also being praised by his parents after the courageous act of heroism.
– Firstly, we are very, very proud. It’s overwhelming for all of us, says his father Steve Reeves.
– Dillon has really been a great guy this year – he’s come a long way. He has surprised us with good grades and with his performances at school with his friends. That he did something like this makes my heart skip a beat, says his mother Ireta Reeves, writes CNN.