Students Help Bus Driver Who Goes Unconscious Behind the Wheel

A group of students sprang into action to help their school bus driver who went unconscious at the wheel, WINK reports.

Maria Lopez, a driver for the School District of Lee County (Fla.), was transporting students to North Fort Myers Academy of the Arts on Nov. 17 when she passed out behind the wheel while on Pine Island Rd., according to the news source. Three eighth grade students on board the bus, Gabriella Rodriguez, Yoan Tavarez, and Joselyn Lemus, reportedly jumped into action by making calls to first responders, parents, and their school while also keeping other students safe and calm on the bus.

Rodriguez told WINK that there were a total of 17 students on board the bus, and 10 of those were elementary school students who were more “freaked out” about the incident.

Lee County Sheriff’s Office reportedly arrived at the scene within minutes and made sure the students got to school safely and the driver to the hospital, according to another story from the news source.

Lopez told WINK that she is “proud for all the students” who stepped in to help. Officials from the School District of Lee County added that the bus driver did everything right to keep her students safe — pulling the bus over, calling dispatchers, and putting on the bus's emergency brake. The afternoon following the incident a spokesperson for the district told WINK that Lopez was doing much better.

View a statement from the School District of Lee County, posted on the district's Facebook page, below.