High school students in Mississippi reacted coolly and managed to stop the school bus when the driver passed out. “They saved my life,” said the driver.
The incident happened on Wednesday, shortly after the bus left Hancock High School in the Kiln area, when the driver, Leah Taylor, suffered an asthma attack and lost consciousness.
The students reacted immediately. 12-year-old Jackson Kasnave grabbed the steering wheel when he realized the bus was beginning to veer off course. “I didn’t realize what happened,” he told the Associated Press. “I just wanted to make sure no one got hurt.”
Darius Clark attempted to assist by hitting the brakes as the vehicle accelerated. “He passed out again and the bus started moving forward and accelerating. When I hit the brakes, I almost got thrown forward.” he reported.
The two students managed to reduce the speed and direct the bus to the dividing island, where they stopped it. 13-year-old Kaylee Clark called the authorities. “I was scared,” he said. “But I had to help.”
At the same time, 15-year-old Destiny Cornelius found that the driver was holding a nebulizer and used it to help her breathe. 13-year-old Mackenzie Finch rested her head on the driver and answered her phone, notifying the school district of the incident.
With information from the Guardian
