An Ohio brother and sister are being praised as real-life heroes after stepping in to save their school bus driver during a terrifying medical emergency on the way to school.
Fourteen-year-old Charlie and his 8-year-old sister, Catrina, jumped into action on Dec. 19 when their bus driver suddenly began struggling to breathe while driving students to school. Footage of the dramatic rescue, shared by Crestview Local Schools, shows the siblings calmly taking control of the situation.
According to the video provided to ABC News, Catrina was the first to notice something was wrong. She ran to the front of the bus and asked the driver if she was okay. When the driver shook her head no and pointed to her throat, Catrina immediately went to get help.
“I ran up and said, ‘What is wrong?’ and she pointed at her throat,” Catrina told ABC. “Then I ran back and got the older kids.”
The quick-thinking 8-year-old also pulled the parking brake, stopping the bus before it could roll downhill.
Moments later, the driver gestured toward the bus radio, signaling that she needed help. That’s when Charlie stepped in. The teen grabbed the radio, contacted dispatch, and calmly explained the emergency while giving their exact location.
“We need help,” Charlie said over the radio. “Bus driver is not breathing.”
Emergency responders were sent to the scene, and the driver was transported to the hospital. She was later released and is expected to recover. The driver credited her students — and her own decision to teach them how to use the radio in emergencies — with helping save her life.
Charlie later admitted the moment was frightening but said he focused on keeping everyone calm. “I was a little shaky,” he recalled. “I was trying to keep the kids calm and make sure nobody freaked out.”
When asked how he knew how to use the radio, Charlie added with a grin that watching a few Dukes of Hazzard movies didn’t hurt — but staying calm was the key.
School officials later revealed that another student, an eighth grader named Kali, also played a critical role by helping move students to the back of the bus and calling 911, according to Good Morning America.
Crestview Local Schools Superintendent Jim Grubbs praised the students’ actions, calling them extraordinary.
“They remained calm, communicated clearly, and helped one another in a situation that could have been much worse,” Grubbs said. “Their families should be incredibly proud.”
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Mom and dad raised em right!