GLENDALE, Wis. (CNN Newsource/WTMJ/WKRC) – An eighth grader is being honored as a hero after his quick actions helped save the school bus he was on.
It was anything but a typical end to the school day. A bus was dropping off students from Glen Hills Middle School on Wednesday when the driver suffered a medical emergency.
That’s when eighth grader Acie Holland III stepped in.
“We was driving home. We were on 26th and Villard, and the bus driver turned on Villard, like on the street,” said Acie.
Acie said he noticed something was wrong when the bus started to accelerate and the driver’s head hit the steering wheel. He knew he had to quickly jump into action.
“I walked to see if she was okay and she ain’t respond. So, her foot was still on the gas. I scooted her over, moved her foot off the gas, and I just turned the wheel and pressed the brake at the same time,” said Acie.
Acie was able to stop the bus. He then quickly called 911. The bus driver was finally able to regain consciousness as help arrived.
“The first thing that went through my mind is like wait you drove a bus and he was like, yeah,” said Acie Holland II, father of student who saved the day.
Acie’s father said he wasn’t surprised at all by his son’s actions. Their family works on cars together and he’s been teaching his son the ins and outs of being a mechanic.
“He’s an ace,” said Acie Holland II.
Not only did he save the day once, but he did it twice. The eighth grader helped jump-start the news car when the battery died during his interview.
He’s just happy that the skills he’s learning and becoming confident with are being put to the test.
“I’m just proud of him,” said Acie Holland II.
Even his classmates have joined in on the fun, calling him “AC Hero.”
“I’m just glad that I was able to get everybody home safe and make sure everybody was okay,” said Acie.
The principal of his school said that the bus driver is recovering after the medical emergency.