Jeremy Wuitschick, a brave seventh grader from Milton, Washington, said he was “acting on instinct” when he jumped up to stop his school bus after the driver passed out behind the wheel.
Jeremy Wuitschick, 13, was on his way to school with about 15 other students yesterday when he realized something was wrong.
The boy told KOMO News: “[The driver] looked funny. His eyes were bulging and he was sitting back and his hands were kind of just flapping around uselessly.”
When the bus started veering toward the curb, the teen sprung into action.
Jeremy Wuitschick told the network: “I just went up, grabbed the wheel and turned it right and took the keys out of the ignition.
“And yeah, the bus stopped. It was pretty scary.”
The teen said he shouted for anyone on the bus to call 911.
That’s when another seventh-grader, Johnny Wood, told Jeremy Wuitschick that he knew CPR, and performed chest compressions on the driver.
Video from the bus’ surveillance camera shows Jeremy Wuitschick and the other students acting in an extremely calm manner.
Jeremy Wuitschick told KOMO News: “I was just acting on instinct. It was all happening really quickly and it wasn’t like the movie ones when they scream and stuff.”
Local authorities said they were planning to reward Jeremy Wuitschick for his quick-thinking.
Milton Police Chief Bill Rhodes told ABC News: “I’ll tell you, I’ll give the kid credit for fast thinking. He did the right thing and we’re going to do something for him. The kid definitely deserves credit.”
ABC News reported that the bus driver, who was not identified, was rushed to nearby St Francis Hospital in grave condition.
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