'I thank God for it': 3 bus drivers honored after saving fellow driver's life

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A Gwinnett County school bus driver says she is thankful to be alive after three of her colleagues saved her.

"They said I died twice and came back," Gwinnett County Schools bus driver Felina Canon said.

Canon said she went from feeling very healthy to getting the scare of her life after waking up in the hospital.

"They just told me when I woke up, ‘You know you went to heaven, don't you?' I was just like, ‘Yeah,'" Canon said.

District officials said during a training session they had earlier this month when they were preparing for the first day of school, Canon had a seizure, lost consciousness and stopped breathing.

Three county bus drivers, Cindy Johnston, Sandy Purcell and Dee Walls, jumped into action, worked as a team and performed CPR on Canon until paramedics arrived.

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"(We) got her on the floor, assessed the situation and she was not breathing at all, so our training kicked it. We worked great as a team and took turns," Johnston said.

On Thursday, there wasn't a dry eye in the room when all four drivers were reunited for the first time.

During a surprise ceremony for all bus drivers in the county, Johnston, Purcell and Walls were honored by the American Heart Association and Emergency Response Training and Support Services.

The trio said learning CPR is critical.

"It can save a life. You don't think you'll ever be put in that situation, ​​​​but you can be, and if you are, you have to know what to do and how to do it," Purcell said.

Doctors said their quick thinking saved Canon's life.

"I was just glad to see them and to know that everyone has been praying for me because I got a pacemaker, so it's going to affect me for the rest of my life, but to know I got a pacemaker and to know they saved my life, I thank God for it," Canon said.

Cox Media Group