27-year-old man credited for saving kids, driver in runaway school bus
A Minnesota man is opening up after he saved nearly 20 children when their school bus driver suffered a medical emergency.
"I really felt like it was my duty," Ebro Ahmed, 27, told ABC News. "Also, too, it’s kids we’re talking about, you know. Even if I were to die, it would still be worth it."
Surveillance video, released by convenience store Ya Bricks Snacks and Tobacco, captured the scene on Monday. Ahmed, who was standing outside the store, said he noticed a school bus driving by with the door wide open.
When he looked inside the bus, Ahmed said he saw the driver having what looked to be a seizure. He said this prompted him to sprint toward the bus, jump inside and then pull the emergency brake, seconds before anything happened.
"Some [kids] were screaming. Some [were] calm. These two girls on the front really did help me a lot. I threw my phone and my glasses at one of them and I told her to hold it," Ahmed recalled of the chaotic situation at the time.
Ahmed also credited the long-running TV drama "Grey's Anatomy" for helping him stay calm in the heightened situation.
"[The show teaches] you about what to do in situations that you never could see yourself in," Ahmed said. "So it's just something like, you know, some tips and tricks that you could use for the rest of your life."
Saint Paul Public Schools confirmed to ABC News there was a medical emergency on board the bus and paramedics responded to the scene, although no injuries were reported. The school district also said students on the impacted bus were sent home after transferring to another bus and counselors checked in with students on Tuesday after the incident.
