A young boy has been hailed a “little hero” for grabbing the wheel of a school bus and bringing it to a safe stop after the driver passed out on a busy road.
Dillon Reeves, 13, earned praise for “an extraordinary act of courage and maturity” after leaping into action as the vehicle carrying dozens of screaming children veered towards oncoming traffic in the Detroit area of Michigan.
The drama on Wednesday was captured on a video camera above the driver.
After hitting the brakes Dillon called out: “Someone call 911. Now.”
Just moments before, the footage showed the driver fanning herself with a baseball cap and informing the transport office by radio that she felt unwell and needed to pull over.
Robert Livernois, superintendent of Warren Consolidated Schools, said: “In my 35-plus years of education, this was an extraordinary act of courage and maturity on his part.
“I don’t know that it could have gone any better,” Mr Livernois said, noting adults helped children out of the back door.
He added: “When you have an anchor like Dillon taking care of business on the bus, it really and truly was a good day for us.”
Dillon did not wish to speak to reporters but his parents, Steve and Ireta Reeves, expressed how proud they were.
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“We’ve got a little hero,” Dillon’s father said.
“He’s been on my lap driving country roads, pulling into driveways since about four years old… He’s a good driver.”
Warren councilman Jonathan Lafferty wrote on Facebook: “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.”
The bus driver was taken to hospital where she received treatment.
