14-Year-Old Grabs the Wheel — And Saves a Bus Full of Students
His father thought it was just another prank.
But this time, 14-year-old Acie Holland III wasn’t joking — he had just saved a bus full of children from drifting into oncoming traffic.
On April 24, 2024, Acie boarded his school bus at Glen Hills Middle School in Glendale, Wisconsin, like he did every afternoon. The driver chatted with students as they settled into their seats. Everything felt ordinary.
Then, in an instant, it wasn’t.
From his seat near the middle of the bus, Acie noticed the driver’s head begin to droop. She looked disoriented. Moments later, her head fell forward against the steering wheel. The bus missed its usual turn and continued accelerating. Slowly, it drifted across the center line — straight toward oncoming vehicles.
Acie was only 14. He didn’t have a driver’s license. He had never driven a bus. But he had spent years working on cars with his father, a mechanic. He understood how vehicles worked the way most kids his age understand video games.
He didn’t panic.
He didn’t scream.
He moved.
Rushing to the front of the bus, Acie grabbed the steering wheel with both hands and pulled the driver’s foot off the gas pedal. He steadied the vehicle, guided it toward the curb, and pressed the brakes until the bus came to a complete stop.
More than twenty students were on board. Not one was injured. No other vehicles were harmed.
But Acie wasn’t finished.
He instructed the younger children to call their parents. He dialed 911 himself. Then, instead of stepping back, he ran to get help. His grandmother, a registered nurse who lived nearby, quickly came to assist the driver, who later regained consciousness and was transported for medical care.
That evening, when Acie told his father what had happened, his dad didn’t believe him at first. They had been playing April Fools’ pranks on each other all month.
“Wait — you drove a bus?” his father asked.
But Acie was calm and serious. Matter-of-fact. His father later said that was what made it so remarkable — his son wasn’t shaken. He simply did what needed to be done.
Principal Anna Young called the incident unforgettable.
“It’s not lost on me that this could have been a serious tragedy for our school community,” she said. “Acie has an understanding of cars that most students his age don’t. I can’t think of a student who could have been more perfectly positioned to handle that moment.”
One week later, Glendale Mayor Bryan Kennedy presented a formal proclamation before the Common Council honoring Acie for his lifesaving actions. He received certificates, recognition at a school board meeting, and heartfelt gratitude from parents. One mother wrote, “This young man saved my boys.”
Acie later appeared on *The Tamron Hall Show* and was featured in news reports nationwide. Yet when asked how it felt to be called a hero, his response was simple.
“It made me feel good knowing I saved people,” he said. “I feel more confident and brave now.”
One small detail says even more about his character. When a news crew arrived at his home to interview him, their car battery died in the driveway. Acie — the same teenager who had just saved a bus full of children — walked over and jump-started their vehicle without hesitation.
He dreams of one day owning a barber shop or a mechanic shop. But if that bus ride proved anything, it’s this: Acie Holland III already possesses two qualities that define true greatness — steady hands and a heart ready to help.
Some heroes wear capes.
This one grabbed a steering wheel.
