Hero Ohio Siblings Save School Bus Driver’s Life After She Suddenly Stops Breathing

A routine ride to school turned into a heart-stopping emergency — and two Ohio siblings are now being hailed as heroes.

Charlie, 14, and his 8-year-old sister Catrina sprang into action when their school bus driver began suffering a medical emergency while transporting students on Dec. 19. According to video shared by ABC News 5 and Crestview Local Schools, the driver was having trouble breathing and quickly became unable to communicate.

The footage shows young Catrina rushing to the front of the bus to check on the driver, who shook her head “no” when asked if she was okay. The second-grader later explained that the driver pointed to her throat, prompting Catrina to run and alert older students.

Realizing the bus was rolling downhill, Catrina then pulled the parking brake, bringing the vehicle to a stop.

Moments later, the driver gestured toward the bus radio, signaling Charlie to take over. The teen calmly grabbed the microphone and called for help, clearly explaining the situation and their location.

“We need help … bus driver is not breathing,” Charlie can be heard saying in the recording.

As chaos loomed, Charlie focused on keeping his classmates calm and safely moving toward the back of the bus.

“I was a little shaky,” he later admitted. “But once I got settled down, I was trying to keep the kids calm and make sure nobody panicked.”

When asked how he knew how to use the radio, Charlie joked that he picked it up from watching a few Dukes of Hazzard movies — but emphasized that staying calm was the most important part.

The driver was rushed to a hospital and later released. She credited her safety — and that of the students — to making sure kids knew how to use the radio in case of an emergency.

Crestview Local Schools Superintendent Jim Grubbs also revealed that another student, 8th-grader Kali, helped guide children to safety and called 911. Speaking to Good Morning America, Grubbs praised the students’ actions.

“The actions of these students were truly outstanding,” he said. “They remained calm, communicated clearly, and helped one another in a situation that could have been much worse. Their families should be incredibly proud.”

What could have ended in tragedy instead became a powerful reminder that heroism can come from the youngest among us — and sometimes, it shows up on a school bus before the first bell even rings.