A dangerous incident in Mississippi ended without serious consequences after five students quickly intervened when the bus driver lost consciousness during the trip.
Leah Taylor, 46, who was driving the Hancock Middle School bus in Hancock County, suffered an asthma attack. There were 40 students on the vehicle, while the bus was traveling on a four-lane highway.
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After her condition worsened, Taylor lost consciousness and the bus began to veer off the road.
Jackson Casnave, 12, a sixth-grade student, was sitting behind the driver and immediately realized the situation was getting out of control. He got up from his seat, grabbed the steering wheel, and called for help from his classmates.
Meanwhile, Darrius Clark, 12, pressed the brakes to slow the bus down, while working with Casnave to steer the vehicle. After their efforts, the bus came to a stop on the side of the road.
Another student tried to find Taylor’s medication, while Kayleigh, Clark’s 13-year-old sister, headed to the back of the bus and called 911.
She later said she could barely hear the operator because other students inside the bus were screaming.
“I was scared, but I knew I had to help,” Kayleigh said.
The five students acted in a coordinated way, taking measures to stop the bus, assist the driver, and calm their classmates.
Everything happened within seconds. Their quick reaction and composure made it possible to avoid an accident that could have ended in tragedy.
After the incident, Leah Taylor thanked the students for their intervention.
“I am grateful to my students. They saved my life and everyone else’s on that bus,” she said.
Taylor explained that she had tried to get her medication as soon as she felt the attack coming on, but shortly after she had lost consciousness.
The students also said they acted because they felt it was their duty to help.
“I didn’t have time to think about my emotions. I just wanted to make sure no one got hurt,” Casnave said.
The bus had left Hancock Middle School shortly before the incident occurred. After the event, the school principal praised the courage and responsibility of the five students.
They were honored at a school event and as a reward were taken out to lunch at a restaurant of their choice.
“They didn’t wait for someone else to step in. They took the initiative themselves, and that says a lot about their character,” declared Dr. Melissa Saucier.
