UNION, Ky. — Wednesday morning began like any other school day for Micah Jones and Karter Dearwester. Jones, a junior, and Dearwester, a sophomore, were heading to Randall K. Cooper High School, with just three more days until winter break.
"Everybody was asleep and I was looking out the window, me and him sit together in seat No. 1," Dearwester said.
The two boys said they have become close friends over the past few years, and have gotten closer since they began high school.
On Wednesday morning, though, their friendship went to a new level after a normal day quickly took a turn.
With most of his classmates fast asleep on the early morning bus, Dearwester noticed their vehicle was getting too close to a mailbox.
"I seen the bus driver and he was slumped over," Dearwester said. "I guess he passed out or something."
Then, their bus collided with trees near Collier Lane and Hanover Boulevard in Burlington.
The 10th grader woke up his friend sitting next to him and the two boys sprung into action.
"I got up and just took the keys out — well, I pushed the brakes and then took the keys out," Jones said. "Then I just was checking in on him, making sure he was alright."
Jones checked their driver's pulse, while Dearwester called first responders.
"There was a bunch of screaming, but they was all in the very back, there wasn’t too many people sitting in the front," said one of the high schoolers.
The two boys then helped their fellow students, as police and other emergency crews began to arrive.
Jones said that he figured out how to stop the bus, even without a driver's license.
"My grandpa is always telling me to stay calm and fight through it. And I feel like that kind of helped me like, push," Jones said.
Three students had to be hospitalized and the driver was rushed to the ICU. The quick action of the two boys received praise from their principal, who spoke about his pride for the pair of heroes, and how the skills they used are taught inside and outside the classroom.
"Being able to think quickly and to problem solve and be a critical thinker — to help in a situation that involved injuries and an emergency and safety and help," Principal Mike Wilson said.
The students said their thoughts and prayers are with the man who would take them to school every day.
"We miss you and we hope have a fast recovery and get well soon," Jones said.
Wilson told WCPO they had no updates on the driver's condition other than he is in stable condition and everyone at Cooper is praying for a full recovery.
