8th grader's gut feeling after school bus driver didn't slow down on usual route saved his and 20 students' lives

Accidents do not occur with a prior warning. However, staying alert and responding to a crisis without panicking can save countless lives in dire situations. Acie Holland III, an 8th-grader riding in a bus with his schoolmates, averted a tragedy that could have taken many lives, per WISN. The quick-thinking Gen Hills Middle School student noticed their school bus driver acting strangely on their usual route near 25th Street and Villard Avenue and quickly jumped into action to save his and other students' lives. 

"I looked up at the bus driver and she was just, like, dazed. I'm looking, and she was like her head was falling on the steering wheel," Holland told the outlet. According to a letter written by the school principal Anna Young, when the bus veered into the oncoming traffic lane, Holland rushed to the driver, moved her foot off the gas pedal and applied the brake. "I really hope that people take away the fact that like everyday people can do really extraordinary things," Young said, per the news outlet. "I think that our students, when they step outside of their comfort zones, can surprise themselves."

"I grabbed the steering wheel then I get us to the curb and I hit the brakes close and then when we hit the curb, I turned the wheel all the way because I didn't know where the parking brake was," Holland recalled. Then the boy dialed 911 and arranged to help the bus driver. The driver later regained consciousness and called Riteway dispatch which deployed a safety team and bus driver to move the bus. Holland's father, Acie Holland Jr, was stunned when his son told him about the whole incident.

"He was just like, 'I saved people's lives today,' and he was so excited and he seemed like he wasn't nervous at all," Holland Jr. revealed. "He just kind of just went with the flow, whatever it was. So that's what made it unbelievable for me, 'cause he was just so calm." "Made me feel good that I know that I saved people and I know I feel more confident now and brave," Holland mentioned. Milwaukee's current mayor, Cavalier Johnson, also shared a Facebook post, praising Holland and his prompt action.

"Yesterday, I acknowledged Acie Holland III, an 8th grader at Glen Hills Middle School, for saving his bus driver and 20 children during a medical emergency. His quick thinking and actions make Milwaukee proud!" Johnson wrote, alongside a few pictures of Holland that were taken with the mayor. Holland was also invited to the "Tamron Hall Show" where he further spoke about his experience. Hall also informed her audience that not only did Holland ensure the safety of the kids on the school bus but he also ran home to get his grandma who was a nurse.

Holland explained that ever since he was young, he would observe his dad closely doing various things like cutting hair or driving. That was one of the reasons why he was able to maintain his calm and do the most important thing during a crisis. Now, Holland is hailed as a superhero in his middle school. Hall surprised the brave young boy and his family with a trip to Disney World to celebrate his heroic and inspirational actions.