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A quick-thinking Minnesota man jumped onto a runaway bus to rescue 19 kids after its driver suffered a “medical emergency” — and has since credited “Grey’s Anatomy” for inspiring his brave intervention.
Ebro Ahmed, 27, was having a break from his shift at the family-owned tobacco shop Ya Bricks Snacks and Tobacco in St. Paul on Monday afternoon when he saw a Battle Creek Middle School bus “roll past with the doors open” while the driver was “seizing up,” KSTP reported.
Ahmed sprang into action when the vehicle’s lights were flashing unexpectedly.
Ahmed, a business student, caught up to the bus, which was traveling at 10 mph, jumped into the driver’s seat and brought it to a halt — despite having no previous bus driving experience.
“I tried to put it in park,” he told KSTP. “I threw it in reverse by accident, and then I ended up getting it in neutral, pulled the parking brake.”
School district officials have not confirmed the driver’s condition but Ahmed told CBS he saw the driver “obviously having a medical emergency” and felt compelled to help.
“If I was just to let him drive away, I would not be human,” he said.
Remarkably, none of the 19 kids on the vehicle were injured – but Ahmed said some were a “little scared.”
“[They were] crying with their phones out getting ready to call the police,” he said.
He tried to help the driver and instructed those on board to call 911.
Ahmed has since credited the hit medical TV drama series “Grey’s Anatomy” behind his quick-thinking response.
“In ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ you never see doctors panic,” he said.
“I know it’s all acting and stuff, so I just knew to be calm and just think everything through.
“[It teaches] you about what to do in situations that you never could see yourself in,” he told ABC News.
“So it’s just something like, you know, some tips and tricks that you could use for the rest of your life.”
Ahmed’s intervention has gone viral and he has been hailed a hero by scores of commenters online.
“I really felt like it was my duty,” he told ABC News, downplaying his actions.
“Also, too, it’s kids we’re talking about, you know. Even if I were to die, it would still be worth it.”
The so-far unidentified bus driver was hospitalized following the medical emergency but has since been released.
Meanwhile some Redditors have called on the producers of Grey’s Anatomy to give Ahmed a guest role on the show as a reward for his heroism.