At a moment’s notice, quick thinking can save lives. Nothing illustrates this better than the story of 13-year-old hero named Dillon Reeves. The teen was riding a school bus full of students in Michigan when he noticed something was off. The driver felt lightheaded and said on the intercom that she was going to pull over for a moment. However, the bus never made it to the pull-off area, and began to drift onto oncoming traffic.
Security camera footage shows the driver losing consciousness and going limp. Noticing the danger of the situation, Reeves sprang from five rows back. Without hesitation, the 7th grader grabbed the steering wheel and slammed on the brakes carefully and slowly to prevent any injuries among his classmates. Immediately after, Reeves shouted at his fellow students for someone to call 911.
No students were hurt, and emergency services arrived at the scene in no time. “The Warren Police and Fire Departments responded very quickly, tended to the driver, and the students were safely loaded onto a different bus to make their way home,” Superintendent Robert D. Livernois wrote on Facebook.
Once everyone was accounted for, people praised Reeves’ quick thinking, which averted a catastrophe. “The actions of the student who helped stop the bus made all the difference today, and I could not be prouder of his efforts,” said Livernois, who described this as an extraordinary act of courage and maturity. “He had the wherewithal to push it [the brake] slowly, likely in anticipation that the bus was full of passengers.”
Reeves’ parents expressed their pride at his actions. “It’s an honor,” exclaimed his dad Steve. “We’ve got a little hero. He could probably drive one of the cars out of here and be OK. I promise you that.” The proud dad added that the boy has also practiced pulling cars into driveways and is a proficient and careful driver of golf carts. His stepmom, Ireta, also wrote a post on Facebook in which she called Reeves a “local hero.”
The story has made waves across the community. Not only did the Mayor of Warren Jim Fouts honor him with a proclamation for his heroism, but councilman Jonathan Lafferty also praised the boy. “The City of Warren is very proud of our 7th Grade Hero Dillon Reeves! This young man jumped into action when his school bus driver experienced a medical emergency, bringing the bus to a stop and avoiding what could have been a very tragic accident. We are very proud of you for your heroic actions!”
As for the bus driver, a GoFundMe has been set up to help her and her family through this time. Under Michigan law, the unnamed mother of three will now be unable to operate a vehicle for a minimum of six months due to the incident. While she is receiving 60% of her pay, this will stop after June 15, when her income will be reduced to zero all while dealing with unexpected medical bills, a mortgage, and living expenses. If you’d like to help support her, you can donate to her GoFundMe campaign.
A 13-year-old boy named Dillon Reeves saved a school bus full of students. He sprang into action and hit the brakes when the driver lost consciousness.
His stepmom, Ireta, shared the story on Facebook, calling Reeves a “local hero.”
h/t: [Good News Network]
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