Jeremy Wuitschick, Washington Middle School Student, Drives School Bus To Safety After Driver Suffers Medical Emergency

A middle school student from Milton, Wash., averted a potentially disastrous situation on Monday when he guided his school bus safely off the road after the driver had a medical emergency, KOMO News reports.

Thirteen-year-old Jeremy Wuitschick was on the bus en route to Surprise Lake Middle School when he noticed that something was amiss.

"I knew something was wrong," the seventh grader said. "The bus driver…looked funny. His eyes were bulging, he was sitting back and his hands were flapping around."

Immediately, Wuitschick and another seventh grade student -- Johnny Wood -- leapt out of their seats and rushed to the front of the bus, KING 5 News reports.

Grabbing the wheel, Wuitschick steered the vehicle, preventing it from crashing into a curb; while Wood, who knows CPR, tried chest compressions on the driver who had become unconscious.

"It was pretty scary," said Wuitschick, who then took the key out of the ignition, making the bus -- with 15 other middle school students in it -- come to a halt.

"I'll tell you, I'll give the kid credit for fast thinking. He did the right thing and we're going to do something for him. The kid definitely deserves credit," Milton Police Chief Bill Rhodes told ABC News.

When asked what compelled him to come forward to help, Wuitschick told KOMO News he had acted "on instinct," adding that a "book about superheroes" had inspired him to turn the vehicle's engine off.

He also told KING 5 News that he knows how to drive because his mother lets him back the car out of the driveway when he washes it -- but that, until now, it had been his little secret.

The 43-year-old bus driver, whose name has not been released, was taken to the hospital. According to ABC News, his condition has been described as "grave." No one else was hurt.

For more on this story, watch interviews with Jeremy Wuitschick and Johnny Wood on KING 5 News here.

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Comments

[deninsamattson]

03:57 AM on 03/03/2013

Growing up, back in the mid 70's..when I was 10 yrs old, I would babysit my RICH aunt/uncles house/office when they were on vacation, answer the company phone, and Wash/Detail ALL of their 5 cars.. Some sticks, and they had a VERY steep driveway... SO, I'd have to change them all around.. A Caddie Seville, a Fiat 128 Stick, among others.. Great practice learining how to drive various vehicles... Plus Stick... Albeit also, when my own parents would go to our beach house on weekends, I would take my friends on joyrides in my parents other car at 10-14.. lol.. Needless to say, I passed my drivers permit, and final tests on the first try... THOSE WERE THE DAYS...... =)))) !!!!!!

[weebles48]

09:55 AM on 12/06/2012

lol, don't tell my dad.

what a great kid, his parents must be very proud of him.

[Frank Quattrone]

11:27 AM on 12/03/2012

Wait! Shouldn't he get a ticket? Underage driving! Well if towing companies were also the police then this kid would def be in jail..... o_0?

[ikarli]

09:52 AM on 11/30/2012

Great kid! His timing was right on target!

[pucpaul]

08:12 PM on 08/19/2012

Both of these kids are smart as heII and cool under pressure. Way to go. Bet he started backing his mothers car out of the garage before she knew about it though. What an awsome kid and mom.

[ErinMedeiros]

01:40 PM on 04/12/2012

what a handsome child! thanks to the mom for raising a clever and useful boy. letting him start to learn driving a car early is the way people USED to do it back in the day, when we had farms... that's how my mom and my uncles started.
As for bravery, I like that two boys rushed the front and someone called 911... very organized behavior. I would hope that a group of adults could be so organized.
as for the principal, nice try, but the man has to be on the floor of the bus for CPR to have a snoball's chance in hell.

[Pat-Rich]

11:50 PM on 03/02/2013

the man did not have to be on the floor for CPR to work. As you can see the driver started breathing again when the man did CPR and he wasn't lying down.

[Phyllis Ruggiero Johnson]

12:08 PM on 04/11/2012

Both of these young men should be commended for keeping a cool head in a potentially dangerous situation. Kudos to them both. I do hope the driver recovers.

[LINYdude]

09:10 AM on 04/11/2012

He responded better than most adults would have.

[ikarli]

09:52 AM on 11/30/2012

absolutely! self included

[minnieme213]

08:29 AM on 04/11/2012

i think that it was smart of him to do that and im glad that he saved every one on that bus that day

[Clarity22]

08:08 AM on 04/11/2012

I watched this on tv last night and it almost brought tears to my eyes. God love those teenagers. It's nice to read and hear good things about the good they do :)

[WhippetGood]

02:24 AM on 04/11/2012

A-MAZING! I am stunned at how quickly and efficiently Jeremy acted. No doubt he saved a lot of lives that day. I am equally impressed with the actions of the other kids -- administering CPR, calling 911, staying calm . . . their parents must be so proud. Well done! Well done!!

Saying a prayer for the bus driver.

[Loreen Bowen]

10:06 AM on 11/30/2012

Well said and so true! I commend these young heroes, and their parents (and likely teachers) for teaching them how to manage what must have been a terrifying situation with such calm and poise. Nicely done, kids!

[wbreel]

11:08 PM on 04/10/2012

Way to go Jeremy. You were lightening fast! Well done. I am very impressed how you took control rather than hide in fear!

[RoonToon]

10:37 PM on 04/10/2012

Absolutely Wonderful !

[SmartladyDem]

09:58 PM on 04/10/2012

You know Geremy,you did the most important thing-you kept a cool head, and got involved to help out.

I wonder if you will go into some sort of emergency training-you have what it takes to keep a cool head during a crisis-kudos-

[jjkoztown]

09:33 PM on 04/10/2012

Another article on this said that they, probably the school or bus company, trained the kids to do this, just in case!

Great job Jeremy!