ASHLAND, Ohio — Two young students acted quickly to save their bus driver who suffered a medical emergency while taking them to school.
Catrina Thomas, 8, and her brother Charlie, 14, attend Crestview Schools in Ashland, Ohio, CNN affiliate WEWS reported.
The medical emergency occurred recently when the bus driver pointed to her throat, signaling distress. Catrina noticed her distress and immediately alerted her brother and other older students on the bus to seek help.
Thomas, a student at Crestview Schools, described her bus driver as “really cool; she’s a good bus driver” and acted swiftly when she noticed something was wrong.
“I ran up there and said, ‘What is wrong?’ And she pointed at her throat and then I ran back there and got the older kids,” Catrina explained, highlighting her awareness of the situation.
Charlie, her older brother, observed the bus driver had stopped and raised her radio.
“That’s when I realized that something was going on,” he recalled. He responded by pulling the bus’s parking brake.
I “went up there and grabbed the radio and then called the school because I knew that was the quickest way we could get help,” he said.
Reflecting on his actions, Charlie added, “Yeah, like after the fact I was a little bit shaky, and once I got settled down, it was scary. I was trying to keep all the kids calm and make sure they don’t get freaked out and try to get them back to the back of the bus.”
Their mother, Tiffany Erwin, said she was proud of her children’s quick actions during the emergency.
“I was very proud, overwhelmed feeling of joy. Like, I was joyful that my kids were knowledgeable enough and knew enough to know what to do. To actually help somebody. Legitimately save somebody’s life,” she said.
Catrina expressed her feelings after the experience, saying, “Proud and happy with myself and happy that we got her all better now,” while Charlie added, “I’m glad that she’s home now and that she’s safe.”
Catrina noted the importance of the driver being with her family for support: .“..that way they can like cheer her up and give her hugs.”
The bus driver is now recovering at home after her hospitalization. She indicated that she makes it a point to teach students how to use the two-way radio on the bus for emergencies just like this one.
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