Photo courtesy of family
I Saved a Bus Full of Kids!
Sujaan Singh describes how he sprang into action during an emergency.
March 17 started out like most days in fifth grade. I went to school at George G. Dodge Intermediate in Twinsburg, Ohio. At the end of the day, the bell rang and I got on the bus.
I sat in the front, close to the driver, who started coughing. As we got closer to my house, he was coughing even more. I asked, “Are you OK?” But he didn’t answer. That’s when I realized he had passed out!
I knew I had to do something or everyone on the bus was going to be in big trouble.
Avoiding an Accident
The bus slowly rolled over a curb on the road. I was scared, but I knew I had to act fast. I jumped up and moved the driver’s foot off the gas pedal. I hit the brakes. The bus came to a stop just before crashing into a streetlight. My head hit the windshield, but I wasn’t hurt. Neither were any of the other kids on the bus.
A construction worker saw everything that happened. He rushed over to help. Some of the students were panicking and crying, but fourth-grader DJ Dortch and sixth-grader Kehlynn Gilmer stayed calm. They helped the other students safely exit the bus through the back door. Emergency responders arrived and took the driver to the hospital. Fortunately, he recovered.
The Twinsburg Board of Education gave awards to DJ, Kehlynn, and me. I was also named mayor of my city for a day. Some people have called me a hero. But I just did what anyone should in that situation. I stepped up when I saw someone needed help.
