A Minnesota bystander is being praised for his bravery after jumping onto a moving school bus and helping save nearly 20 children when the driver suffered a medical emergency.
Ebro Ahmed, 27, was outside a convenience store in St. Paul’s Dayton neighborhood on Monday when he noticed a school bus speeding by with its doors wide open.
When Ahmed looked toward the driver, he realized the man appeared to be experiencing what looked like a seizure and was no longer in control of the vehicle.
Ahmed immediately ran after the bus, climbed inside and worked to bring it to a halt. In a matter of seconds, he shifted the vehicle and pulled the parking brake before the emergency could become a major tragedy.
Recalling the tense moment in an interview with ABC, Ahmed said he initially struggled with the controls: “I tried to put it in park, I threw it in reverse by accident, and then I ended up getting it in neutral, pulled the parking brake.”
His fast response stopped the bus and protected the children inside from potentially serious harm.
Ahmed said he did not pause to weigh the danger to himself. With so many children aboard, he felt compelled to act.
“I really felt like it was my duty,” he said.
Ebro Ahmed, 27, saw the school bus moving with its doors open before chasing it down, climbing aboard and pulling the emergency brake
Ahmed said protecting the children mattered more than his own safety: “Even if I were to die, it would still be worth it”
Inside the bus, some children screamed while others stayed composed. Ahmed said he tossed his phone and glasses to one girl and asked her to hold them while he focused on stopping the vehicle
There was never any question in Ahmed’s mind that he should leave the scene and wait for someone else to help.
“It’s kids we’re talking about, you know. Even if I were to die, it would still be worth it,” he said.
Security video from Ya Bricks Snacks and Tobacco captured Ahmed’s dramatic rush toward the bus as he responded to the crisis.
He later described the atmosphere inside the vehicle as chaotic, with some children crying out while others remained calm as he tried to regain control.
“Some [kids] were screaming. Some [were] calm,” Ahmed recalled.
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He also credited two girls seated near the front for assisting him during the frightening ordeal.
Ahmed said he handed his phone and glasses to one of the girls so he could concentrate fully on managing the emergency.
“These two girls on the front really did help me a lot,” he said.
He also revealed how watching medical drama Grey’s Anatomy had taught him lessons he drew on during the terrifying ordeal
Despite the frightening circumstances, the 27-year-old managed to keep his composure, and he credits an unlikely source for helping him think clearly under pressure.
Rather than professional medical training, Ahmed pointed to the long-running medical drama Grey’s Anatomy as something that had taught him useful lessons about responding to emergencies.
The series follows doctors as they navigate medical emergencies and high-pressure situations.
Ahmed said the show gave him useful ideas about how to respond when the unexpected happens.
‘[The show teaches] you about what to do in situations that you never could see yourself in,’ he said.
He added, ‘So it’s just something like, you know, some tips and tricks that you could use for the rest of your life.’
Saint Paul Public Schools confirmed to ABC News that a medical emergency had occurred aboard the bus and that paramedics responded to the scene.
Fortunately, no injuries were sustained.
The school district said the children were transferred to another bus before being sent home, ensuring they could continue their journey after the frightening incident.
School officials also took steps to support the youngsters in the aftermath, with counselors checking in with students on Tuesday to see how they were coping.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Ahmed for comment.
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