WARREN, Mich. (WXYZ) — A middle school student in Warren is being hailed a hero after he helped stop a school bus when the driver had a medical emergency behind the wheel Wednesday.
The incident happened on Masonic Boulevard near Bunert Road as students from Carter Middle School were heading home. The district said the driver became light-headed and lost consciousness while the bus was moving.
The seventh grader, Dillon Reeves, noticed the driver was in distress. He wasted no time making the move to help. Video shows Dillon stepping to the front and helping bring it to a stop safely.
As a result of his courage, police and fire crews were able to catch up to the bus quickly and help render aid by getting an ambulance for the driver while getting kids onto another bus.
Police said no one was hurt. The driver is recovering in the hospital.
“The actions of the student who helped stop the bus made all the difference today,” the district said in a press release.
The district superintendent held a press conference Thursday to talk about the incident and Dillon's actions.
“He stood up, he assessed the situation and saw that the driver had passed out. This was an extraordinary act of courage," Superintendent Robert Livernois said. "He jumped up from his seat, threw his backpack down, ran to the front and grabbed the wheel and brought the bus to a stop.”
Reflecting on how he stopped the bus, Dillon remains humble as the entire community acknowledges that this was no small act of bravery.
“Very, very proud. This is overwhelming for all of us. This is national at this point,” Dillon's father Steve Reeves said during the press conference. “He is very attentive to his surroundings.”
He and his family are being publicly praised for the incredible response to the emergency, and other parents have also stepped up to thank Dillon. Their yard was decorated Wednesday night to thank him for his quick thinking.
“We asked him, 'Where did you learn to drive the bus?' He said, 'I watched her do it everyday,'” Ireta Reeves said. “He’s really a great guy this year. He’s come a long way. Great grades, experiences at school with friends. To do something like this fills my heart and makes my heart skip a beat.”
County Executive Mark Hackel and Warren Police Department Commissioner Bill Dwyer also acknowledged Dillon for being a hero that inspires us all.
He's expected to be presented with an award, the Warren Police Department said.
