Warren Consolidated Schools
"I'm feeling really dizzy, I might have to pull over," the driver says, before falling unconscious at the wheel of a bus full of children.
A seventh grader from Warren, Michigan sprung into action to help prevent his school bus from getting into a major crash after the driver passed out on the road.
Video released by Warren Consolidated Schools from this past Wednesday shows the driver fanning herself with her hat before picking up the vehicle's radio to tell the transportation office she was "feeling really dizzy" and "might have to pull over." After relaying her location -- so someone could come pick up the children -- she then appears to start shaking, letting go of the steering wheel while seemingly falling unconscious.
According to Superintendent Robert Livernois, the bus was starting to veer into "what would have been oncoming traffic" when Dillon Reeves -- who was about five rows from the front of the vehicle -- and other kids on the full bus noticed something was wrong.
The video can be seen at the 8:28 mark below:
"Oh s---, oh s---, oh s---!" one of the kids is heard yelling, before Dillon jumps into the frame -- grabbing the steering wheel and applying pressure to the brakes the stop the vehicle, as the rest of the children scream behind him. "Someone call 911, now!" he then repeatedly shouted over the chaos.
The kids were reportedly assisted by two Good Samaritans -- one who helped Dillon with the driver and another who helped them exit the bus from the back. The bus sustained zero damage.
During a press conference celebrating Reeves' actions on Thursday, Dillon's father said his family was "very proud" and referred to him as "a little hero." He added, "He's been on my lap driving country roads, pulling into driveways since about 4 years old ... He's a good driver."
"A police officer called me and my first response was, 'What the heck did he do?'" he continued. "They were like, 'No, no, no, this is a good call. Your son's a hero.'"
His mother also said the boy told her he knew how to drive the bus because "I watch her do it everyday." Dillon himself didn't speak during the presser.
"In my 35-plus years of education, this was an extraordinary act of courage and maturity on his part," Livernois said. "I don't know that it could have gone any better. And when you have an anchor like Dillon taking care of business on the bus, it really and truly was a good day for us."
As of Thursday, the driver was still in the hospital undergoing testing and observation. Livernois added that, as required by law, the driver will also have to undergo a drug screening. "We continue to provide support to this driver, who's one of our best," he added.
CBS News
