The humble school bus is a pretty quintessential piece of school nostalgia for a lot of people. It's the place where you're either at your most relaxed, or the most stressed (if you're anything like me, you were rushing to get homework done!). But a safe haven can very quickly turn dangerous if an emergency happens.
And, as reported by the New York Post, a group of Mississippi middle school students were faced with just that situation recently. Their bus driver had fallen ill just minutes after leaving Hancock Middle School in Kiln. She had suffered an asthma attack. And then, she fell unconscious.
The kids were quick to spring into action. Jackson Casnave, a sixth-grader, immediately knew to jump up and grab the steering wheel as the school bus began to swerve. Another classmate, Darrius Clark, hit the brakes. Between them, they managed to get the bus to a standstill and into parking gear.
Casnave recalled what happened that day. "I didn't have time to process my emotions. I just wanted to make sure nobody got hurt."
Clark's sister, Kayleigh, ended up calling 911, but because of all the commotion, she wasn't able to hear the responder properly. Other kids also managed to get the bus driver's nebulizer and successfully administered it to her. One student even picked up her phone and managed to tell the district transportation team what ended up happening.
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The Bus Driver Was Very Grateful
Taylor's response was very sweet. She explained, "They saved my life. I'm grateful for my students." She added that "They're the ones that saved my life and everybody else's on that bus."
The students have been rightly honored by the school, where they were given a pep rally on Friday. And probably the best part for them: they get to have a lunch field trip next week at any restaurant they choose!
The principal of the middle school, Dr. Melissa Saucier, honored the students in a statement. "What they did took courage. They didn't wait for somebody to step in. They stepped up themselves, and that says a lot about their character."
