Missouri Students Recognized for School Bus Heroics
Tandon Baker and Emilee Williams, students in the St. James R-1 School District, spring to action after their school bus driver passes out.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson issued proclamations honoring Emilee Williams (left) and Tandon Baker for their heroic actions.
Photo courtesy of St. James Schools
Two quick-thinking Missouri students earned praise last week for their actions aboard their school bus when the driver lost consciousness.
It was about 3:30 p.m. Aug. 25 on a road outside St. James when the bus, carrying about 25 students, went off the road and through a fence into a field, according to St. James R-1 School District Superintendent Tim Webster.
Tandon Baker, a 12-year-old middle school student, rushed to the front of the bus, put his foot on the brake, and parked the bus.
High school student Emilee Williams, 15, called 911 on her cellphone, then worked to calm younger, frightened students aboard the bus.
“Honestly, I do not know that I could be more proud of the way that these two reacted last Wednesday,” Webster said. “I know it sounds very cliché, but I have been telling anyone and everyone that asks me that they are the definition of a hero.”
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He said other students should look to them as examples of “being aware of what is going on around you and just reacting.”
Tandon and Emilee were honored Friday night before a high school football game with proclamations from Missouri Gov. Mike Parson.
The bus driver remained hospitalized this week.
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