7th grader pulls off a heroic act of stopping a school bus after the driver falls unconscious

A 7th grader stopped a school bus after the bus driver lost consciousness behind the wheel.

The driver’s sudden medical emergency could have resulted in a terrifying tragedy but thanks to the boy’s cleverness, all the students on the bus were safe and the driver was given first aid on time.

Seventh grader Dillon Reeves is a student at Lois E. Carter Middle School in Warren, Michigan. He was riding the school bus back home when the driver suddenly became lightheaded. The shocking moment was captured in video footage where the driver tried to pull over safely.

The driver can be seen informing the transportation base. “I’m feeling really dizzy and I have to pull over,” said the driver in the video. However, she lost consciousness before she got to stop the bus.

Reeves, who was sitting five rows back from the driver, quickly jumped up from his seat and pulled off a heroic act of stopping the bus.

As soon as he reached the front of the bus, he grabbed the wheel but instead of slamming on the hand brake, he slowly pressed down on it until the bus safely stopped.

While he was doing it, he was yelling at the other passengers, asking them to call 911. The bus safely came to a stop on Masonic Boulevard near Burnet Road. Soon, two Good Samaritans who were passing by helped the students get out of the bus and waited until the first responders arrived.

Reeve’s wisdom and sense of urgency amazed Robert D. Livernois, Warren Consolidated Schools Superintendent. “I could not be prouder of his efforts. He had the wherewithal to push it [the brake] slowly, likely in anticipation that the bus was full of passengers,” he said.

“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,” Livernois added.

He also said that in his 35 years of education, he was astonished by Dillon’s extraordinary act of courage and maturity.

None of the students were injured and the bus driver, a 40-year-old woman was immediately transported to the hospital for examinations. She is now “stable but with precautions,” according to Warren Fire Commissioner Skip McAdams.

The boy’s parents were also very proud of their son who did a heroic act at a young age. “Dillon, he’s really been a great guy this year. He has come a long way. He has surprised us with great grades and with his performances at school with friends, with peers. And to do something like this just fills my heart, makes my heart skip a beat,” Ireta Reeves said.

Ireta explained that Dillon knew how to stop the bus by watching how the driver did it every day. Because he does not have a cell phone, he is more observant about his surroundings.

The boy’s father also shared that his son is a good driver and had been watching him drive since he was very young. “He’s been on my lap driving country roads, pulling in driveways since about 4 years old, driving side by side with me in the passenger seat about 9, driving golf carts,” Steve Reeves said.

Dillon’s courage and cleverness also amazed a lot of people on Facebook. One of the commenters, Christina Marcelli wrote, “My daughter was on that bus. She called me in panic. It was very scary for the kids! Thank goodness for the brave student to bring the bus to a stop!” The rest lauded Dillon as a young hero and expressed how proud they were of him.

Dillon’s courage, cleverness, and maturity at his age are truly commendable. This story only shows that anyone can be a hero in their own little ways.

Watch this video to witness Dillon’s amazing heroic act: