His quick thinking saved the day!
Acie Holland III, an eighth grader at Glen Hills Middle School in Glendale, Wisconsin, is a hero after taking the wheel and saving his school bus from crashing after the driver suddenly lost consciousness.
The journey home from school on April 24 started like any other. Holland and his schoolmates were greeted by their bus driver as they boarded the school bus and they were soon on their way. But when the driver missed a turn and the bus continued to accelerate, Holland knew something was wrong.
“She likes to joke with us a lot, and I thought maybe she was fooling with us,” the 14-year-old told The Washington Post. The bus then started to veer into oncoming traffic and Holland sprung into action. “I checked to see if the driver was okay and I yelled, but she was unconscious and didn’t respond. So I took the wheel and straightened out the bus, then I moved her foot off the gas pedal.”
Holland was able to safely park the bus on the side of the road. He then called 911 and instructed the other 14 students on board to call their parents. He then jumped off the bus and ran home to get his grandmother who is a registered nurse.
“Everybody was just like, ‘thank you’ because I saved their life,” Holland said to CNN. “I wasn’t really scared, I was just trying to get the bus to stop.”
Holland is actually used to being behind the wheel. He knows how to drive a tractor and has always shown an interest in cars, with the goal to one day be a mechanic or run his own barbershop. Being helpful also comes naturally to the eighth grader who volunteers with his school’s reading program and sometimes gives haircuts to family and friends.
“The compassion and leadership that we see him exhibit daily was taken to the next level on his bus ride home,” Glen Hills Middle School Principal, Anna Young, said in a note to parents following the incident. “We are grateful that all of our Glen Hills students are safe and are wishing their driver a healthy recovery.” According to Young, the driver experienced a medical emergency and is currently receiving care. The driver regained consciousness shortly after Holland safely stopped the bus and another driver was sent to transport the students safely home.
Acie Holland III is now a local hero. The Glendale Police Department and the Milwaukee Fire Department praised Holland’s heroics and honored him with an award. The mayor and city council also recognized him with an official proclamation. Acie’s parents couldn’t be more proud of their son’s bravery and quick thinking.
“He’s always been a person where he’s real quick on his feet. That’s one of my things that I know he’s capable of, not on the school bus, but just in general, being able to help someone in need,” Holland’s father told CNN. “I am proud of what he did.”
“Sometimes, you just do what you have to do,” Acie added. “I’m just being me.”
Cover photo: Heroic 8th Grader Prevents School Bus From Crashing After Driver Passes Out / Photo credit: Kimberly Holland (via The Washington Post)
Acie is a true hero. I am proud of him.