Two Pennsylvania high school students dey speak out after dem rush help their school bus driver during medical emergency. Sophomore Alexis Smith tell ABC News say she immediately jump into action and help the bus driver as much as she could.
Surveillance video wey Hollidaysburg Area School District release and taken Sept. 18 show students working together to stop their school bus when dem realize something wrong with their driver. As students prepare to get off the slowing bus, the surveillance video show the vehicle begin to move again. Skyla Horton na one of the students wey supposed to disembark. Horton tell ABC News say she think maybe dem just dey go around the corner again. Smith tok say her friend alert her about their driver. She tok say a couple students got off, maybe like two or three, and then he slowly start drifting forward. And then his head go down.
The surveillance video then show Smith getting up from her seat and running toward the driver to help. Smith tok say during the time she step on the brake, she hit like a metal pole. Horton tok say she then try pull the bus parking brake as Smith hit the brake pedal. She tok say she pull the parking brake and then she open the bus door for more airflow for the bus driver. The students radio for help and check the driver pulse during the incident.
Smith tok say he be her regular bus driver. Now, like when she go to the bus, he go make like a little joke — ‘Our hero.’ The Hollidaysburg Area School District thank Smith for her heroism for Facebook post. The district tok say Alexis take immediate action, safely bring the bus to a stop, use the radio call for emergency help, and assess the driver pulse and respiration until medical responders arrive. The district tok say dem thankful for her quick thinking and courage.
According to Hollidaysburg Area School District Superintendent Curtis Whitesel, the driver, who dem no identify, don clear to drive again. Whitesel tok say as a district dem so proud of the quick actions of their students to help avoid wetin could have been serious accident. He tok say the resiliency of America youth dey on display as dem spring into action and save the day. Dem extremely proud of all their students.
For Calhoun County, Michigan, crisis on a school bus was averted by the quick actions of students. Four of them save the driver life after she suffer medical emergency Thursday afternoon. Parents and staff thank them with applause at Athens Area Schools homecoming game Friday night. None of the students tell us say dem feel like heroes, but na wetin the district dey call them after taking charge when dozens of students need them most.
Their school bus carry elementary, middle and high school students home for Sherwood Township when the driver suddenly feel the symptoms of stroke. Interim Superintendent Tonia Vorce tok say dem say she dey go in and out. Her head dey bob. She dey shake. The driver able pull over in time, but no assistance available on the rural road. Vorce tok say the students never receive any special emergency training, but dem jump in right away to help.
Two middle schoolers, Kynsie Wilson and Jessie Robinson, assist dispatch on the phone, while another, Harmony Russell, keep the other students calm. Jack Smith, an elementary student who be grandson of the transportation director, know how to open the bus doors for EMT. Wilson tok say dem go up ask her if she okay and she say ‘no.’ She want me call the cops, so I do. Russell tok say even in the middle of her medical emergency, the bus driver first thoughts na for her kids. She tok say one of her last words before she no fit speak na to make sure the kids got home.
Robinson keep in contact with operators to make sure the driver still fit speak and move. She tell us say she don see videos of other bus driver emergencies online. She tok say she don obviously hear this situation happen on TikTok and other social media platforms, but she never think say e go happen to her. After authorities arrive another driver take the students home safely. The district go now train some of them to know wetin to do in a bus emergency, including how to open the doors.
Even in the worst circumstances, Vorce tok say the students wise beyond their years. She tok say there could have been an accident. She could have hit a tree. She could have hit another car. We just no know wetin could happen. The driver dey recover in hospital. Because of how quickly students and staff respond, the district tok say she no go suffer any long-term effects.
