A routine afternoon in St. Paul took a frightening turn when a school bus began moving through the streets with its driver incapacitated. With 19 middle school students on board and no one apparently in control of the vehicle, a nearby business owner found himself facing a split-second decision, run toward the bus or watch it continue down the road.
According to ABC News, Ebro Ahmed, 27, was taking a break outside his family-owned business, Ya Bricks Snacks & Tobacco, in the Dayton's Bluff neighbourhood when he noticed the Battle Creek Middle School bus travelling with its doors open. What he saw inside prompted him to act immediately.
A bus without a driver in control
According to ABC News and the New York Post, Ahmed noticed that something was wrong with the driver as the bus moved slowly through the area. The vehicle was reportedly travelling at around 10 mph, giving Ahmed enough time to catch up.
He ran toward the moving bus and climbed aboard. Ahmed had never driven a school bus before, but with the children still inside and the vehicle continuing forward, he attempted to bring it under control. His first attempt did not go entirely as planned. He reversed the bus instead of parking. After switching to neutral and setting the parking brake, the bus stopped.
Protecting students
Ahmed faced the children and driver when the bus stopped. He helped the disabled driver and told students to call 911. The 19 students were not physically injured, although the sudden incident left some of them frightened. Reports described children preparing to call 911 and reacting anxiously as the situation unfolded.
Ahmed's actions prevented the bus from continuing uncontrolled through the neighbourhood, turning what could have become a far more serious incident into an emergency response rather than a potential crash. Fox34 reported that the incident occurred Monday and involved a contracted route serving Battle Creek Middle School.
A situation he never expected
Ahmed later acknowledged that he had no formal training in operating a school bus. His response instead came from trying to remain calm and recalling things he had seen before. Among the unexpected influences he credited was the medical drama Grey's Anatomy, along with videos encountered online. Rather than panic, he tried to concentrate on the immediate problem and work through the controls.
The St. Paul Public Schools district said the driver's medical emergency likely caused delays for students returning home. Some children were also upset by what had happened, prompting the district's mental health team to check in with students following the incident.
Driver released from hospital
The bus driver was taken to a hospital following the medical emergency and was later released to recover at home, according to school officials, states the ABC News report.
Ahmed said the episode was particularly personal because he could easily imagine the children being members of his own family. His decision to intervene, therefore, was less about recognition and more about protecting a group of children who suddenly found themselves in an unpredictable and potentially dangerous situation.
The incident has since drawn widespread attention online, with Ahmed being praised for his quick response. What began as an ordinary break outside a neighbourhood business ended with an untrained bystander taking control of a moving school bus and helping ensure that all 19 students made it through a frightening journey safely.
Images Courtesy: ABC News