Kid Heroes: 13-year-old Steers Bus to Safety After Driver Passes Out
Parents often talk about the frustrating aspects of raising teenagers. But kids do some amazing things, and some of them even save the day. So, let's focus on the positive: Introducing "Kid Heroes" at Yahoo! Shine
When the school bus driver started gasping and waving his hands in the air, 13-year-old Jeremy Wuitschick didn't panic. Instead, he got out of his seat, went to the front of the bus, and grabbed the steering wheel just as the driver passed out.
He managed to pull the school bus over to the side of the road and then took the keys out of the ignition, saving himself and 15 other students.
"I knew something was wrong," the seventh grader told Seattle-area news station KOMO-TV. "It was pretty scary. I just acted on instinct. It was all happening really quickly."
The bus driver, whose name was not released, was taken to the hospital. Jeff Short, the assistant superintendent for the Fife school district, told reporters that the driver had a heart issue and that his condition was currently "grave."
Thankfully, the bus wasn't far from its destination: Wuitschick pulled over in front of Discovery Primary School, which is just next door to Surprise Lake Middle School. Police had recieved repors of a school bus driving erratically at 8 a.m., but by the time they got to the scene the teen had already saved the day. Other kids on the bus had already called 911 for the bus driver.
"I'll tell you, I'll give the kid credit for fast thinking," Milton, Washington, police cheif Bill Rhodes told ABC News. "He did the right thing and we're going to do something for him. The kid definitely deserves credit."
