13-Year-Old ‘Hero’ Saves the Day When Bus Driver Passes Out Behind the Wheel

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A heart-pounding video is going viral on Twitter for capturing the truly heroic efforts of a 7th-grade boy from Michigan. According to WXYZ, 13-year-old Dillon Reeves sprang into action after noticing that his bus driver had suddenly passed out behind the wheel, putting himself and his fellow classmates at risk. Footage of what he did next is now making the rounds online, and earning the boy high praise from near and far.

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The video was first shared on Twitter by HuffPost editor Philip Lewis

Since then, it's been viewed more than 1.4 million times and has grabbed national headlines for the incredible story behind it.

According to reports, Dillon and his other classmates were on their way home from Carter Middle School on Wednesday when their bus driver began showing signs of distress.

In the now-viral clip, she can be seen removing her hat and attempting to fan herself while driving down Masonic Boulevard in Warren, Michigan.

Moments later, the bus driver is seen grabbing the two-way radio receiver

"I'm feeling really dizzy," she calls into dispatch, "I'm gonna have to pull over."

But before she can even make it to the side of the road, the driver's head falls forward as she slumps down and passes out.

Precious seconds pass before the children notice that the school bus is still moving forward, despite the driver being unconscious. Luckily, though, one quick-thinking student saw what was happening and ran to the front of the bus.

With the confidence of someone twice his age, Dillon took hold of the wheel

At the same time, he reached one foot forward to press on the brake and bring the bus to a stop along the shoulder. Then he shifted the bus into park.

In the video footage, children throughout the bus can be heard screaming while suddenly realizing what's happening up front. But despite their panic, Dillon appears calm, cool, and collected.

"Someone call 911," he calls out. "Now."

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Soon enough, help arrived

From there, the bus driver was whisked off to a nearby hospital for treatment, and all of the kids were safely returned home to their parents.

But by the next day, news of Dillon's heroic act had managed to sweep through town and praise was pouring in from all over.

"He stood up, he assessed the situation, and saw that the driver had passed out. This was an extraordinary act of courage," said Superintendent Robert Livernois in a press conference the following day. "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."

Dillon's family is also praising the young boy for his act of bravery

"Very, very proud," Steve Reeves, Dillon's dad, said during Thursday's press conference. "This is overwhelming for all of us. This is national at this point."

At the same time, Steve knows that his son was the right person for the job, noting that he is "very attentive to his surroundings."

As for how he knew how to stop the bus? Even his mom was impressed by that one.

"We asked him, 'Where did you learn to drive the bus?'" Ireta Reeves recalled. "He said, 'I watched her do it everyday.'"

"He’s really a great guy this year," the mother gushed. "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."

People are now rallying around the bus driver who wishes to remain anonymous

Though she is reportedly on the mend, she is now recovering from what doctors suspect was a seizure.

In the meantime, local residents have created a GoFundMe to help support her in the coming months since under Michigan law the driver won't be able to operate a vehicle for the next six months. As a result, she will only receive 60% of her pay until the end of the school year, which ends on June 15.

"She is a dedicated school bus driver who gets up each day to get our children to and from school," the GoFundMe reads. "She also works extra time taking students to field trips and school sporting events. She cares for each of the students on her bus as if they were her own. In addition to the care she shows her students, she is also a devoted mom of three young children, ages 8, 7, and 4."

So far, the GoFundMe has raised roughly $6,200 of its $20,000 goal, but continues to receive contributions daily.

Kaitlin Stanford