Emmanuel Williams, a 17-year-old senior at Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma, Wash., was on board his school bus headed home Monday with about 24 fellow Tahoma High students when he noticed the bus swerve several times as it traveled northbound on Interstate 5.
When Williams, seated near the front of the bus, saw the driver, a 65-year-old male, miss the exit and start to nod off, he took action.
“I was looking at him and his eyes would close, and when we’d get to a turn, he’d look both ways, start driving again, and they would close more and more,” Williams told local ABC affiliate KOMO.
“As soon as I see his head go down, and I see the bus go back to the freeway, I hop up, get to the front of the bus as fast as I can,” he said.
Video captured by the bus’ surveillance camera shows the teen spring to his feet to come to the driver’s side. Grasping the hand of the driver, Williams looks into his face to make sure he’s awake, and then sits in the row directly behind the driver.
