A 13-year-old boy became a hero after he took control of a school bus and safely steered it to a stop when the driver lost consciousness.
Footage of the incident shows Dillon Reeves, a student from Carter Middle School in Warren, Michigan, USA, on board the bus with 66 other students when he noticed the bus driver losing grip of the steering wheel and falling limp as the bus veered from onto oncoming traffic.
While students can be heard screaming in panic, the young teen leapt to the front from his seat about five rows back, taking control of the wheel and safely stopping the bus. The clip has gone viral on social media with people praising the brave boy.
In an act of bravery, Dillon stopped the bus, and can be heard shouting out for someone to call 911 “now” in the video.
The cause of the bus driver’s illness is not yet known, and she has not experienced any other incidents while driving.
Robert Livernois, the superintendent of the school, praised Dillon for his quick thinking and bravery in a statement. He said that Dillon saw the driver in distress and “stepped to the front of the bus and helped bring it to a stop.”
Warren Councilman Jonathan Lafferty also hailed Dillon as a hero in a Facebook post, writing, “We are very proud of you for your heroic actions!”
Dillon’s parents were shocked when they received a call from the police. His father, Steve Reeves told local media,
When the Warren police called me, I said, ‘What the heck did he do?’ And they said, ‘No, your son is a hero’.
After the incident, Dillon’s proud stepmother, Ireta Reeves, took to Facebook to share her thoughts. “He is home and everyone is okay all thanks to Dillon!!!” she wrote. “To Dillon, it’s just another day. He has no idea the amount of people who are so proud of him today.”
The incident has brought attention to the importance of student safety on school buses, and Dillon’s quick thinking and bravery have been praised by officials and members of the community alike.
