A 7th grader in Michigan is being hailed as a “little hero” for bringing his school bus to a halt after its driver passed out at the wheel.
Dillon Reeves, a student at Lois E. Carter Middle School in Warren, Michigan grabbed the wheel and brake of the bus during his ride home from school on Wednesday afternoon, Warren Consolidated Schools Superintendent Robert D. Livernois said in news conference Thursday.
In a statement shared on Facebook, Livernois added that the bus driver became “lightheaded and lost consciousness” during the journey but the “quick-thinking” and actions of Reeves “made all the difference.”
“I could not be prouder of his efforts,” he added. “The Warren Police and Fire Departments responded very quickly, tended to the driver, and the students were safely loaded onto a different bus to make their way home.”
In video footage of the incident released by authorities and obtained by ABC News, the female driver, who had been driving for the school since July 2022, can be seen using her cap to fan her face. She then picks up her radio and says, “I feel very dizzy and I have to pull over,” before passing out.
Dillon can then be seen grabbing the wheel and pulling the brake as his fellow students scream. “Someone call 911, now!” he shouts. “Someone should call 911. I don’t care! Someone call 911.”
Livernois said the driver did not make it to where they planned to pull over and that, terrifyingly, the bus started to “veer into oncoming traffic.” At that point, Dillion, who was sitting five rows back, jumped into action and “brought the bus to a stop in the middle of the road,” he added.
“He had the wherewithal to push it [the brake] slowly, likely in anticipation that the bus was full of passengers,” said Livernois, adding that it was “an extraordinary act of courage and maturity.”
Speaking at the news conference, Dillion’s parents Steve and Ireta Reeves said they were “very, very proud” of their son. “This is overwhelming for all of us,” said Steve.
“To do something like this, fills my heart, makes my heart skip a beat, to even watch that video again,” continued Ireta. “I’m just … I can’t even express the proudness. I’m extremely proud of him.”
Steve added, “It’s kind of like why us, but it’s an honor, we’ve got a little hero.”
The couple was then asked by reporters where Dillion may have learned what to do during the incident. “He’s been on my lap driving country roads, pulling in driveways since about 4 years old,” said Steve. “Driving side by side with me in the passenger seat about 9, driving golf carts. He’s a good driver,” he added with a laugh.
“He could probably drive one of the cars out of here and be OK. He’s very attentive to his surroundings,” Steve continued.
“I asked him, ‘Dillion how did you know what to do?’ “ added his mom. “’How did you know how to drive that bus?’ He said, ‘I watch her do it every day,’ so he pays close attention to everybody.”
On Thursday, Livernois confirmed no damage was done to the bus or any property and that the driver remains in the hospital undergoing testing and observations.
He added that students on the bus were offered a counseling session at the school the following day, while Dillion will be recognized with a commendation from the school board at a later date.
Warren Fire Commissioner Skip McAdams reported no injuries to the children on the 66-seater bus, per told CNN.
