HANCOCK COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI — Quick-thinking middle school students saved 40 children from a potential catastrophe on a four-lane highway after their bus driver blacked out while driving. The bus had just left Hancock Middle School in Hancock County on Wednesday when driver Leah Taylor, 46, suffered an asthma attack, reached for her medication, and blacked out before she could get it. Within seconds, sixth graders Jackson Casnave, 12, and Darrius Clark, 12, jumped into action — one steering the swerving bus and the other hitting the brakes — successfully maneuvering the vehicle onto a median and putting it in park.
Driver Leah Taylor Blacks Out After Asthma Attack With 40 Children on Board
The terrifying situation began moments after the bus departed Hancock Middle School with approximately 40 children on board. Driver Leah Taylor, 46, suffered a sudden asthma attack while operating the vehicle on a four-lane highway. She attempted to reach for her medication but blacked out before she could retrieve it, leaving the bus driverless and beginning to swerve at highway speed with dozens of students on board.
The sudden and unexpected nature of the medical emergency gave the students on board only seconds to recognize what was happening and respond before the bus could veer off the road or collide with other vehicles.
Jackson Casnave Jumps Up to Steer — Darrius Clark Hits the Brakes
Sixth grader Jackson Casnave, 12, was sitting directly behind the driver when he noticed the bus beginning to swerve following Taylor’s collapse. Casnave immediately jumped up, took hold of the steering wheel to stabilize the bus, and called out for others to call for help. Simultaneously, fellow sixth grader Darrius Clark, 12, moved to hit the brakes as Casnave maintained control of the wheel.
Working together in a matter of seconds, the two 12-year-olds successfully steered the bus away from danger, guided it onto a median, and brought the vehicle to a complete stop by putting it in park — preventing what could have been a devastating crash on the four-lane highway.
40 Students Safe After Remarkable Quick Thinking by Two Sixth Graders
All 40 students on board the Hancock Middle School bus were safe following the remarkable emergency response carried out by Jackson Casnave and Darrius Clark. The swift and coordinated actions of the two sixth graders in the seconds following their driver’s medical emergency prevented a potentially fatal accident on a busy Mississippi highway. Stay with GordonRamsayClub.com for the latest updates and detailed coverage.
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