Heroic Brothers Take The Wheel & Save Lives After School Bus Driver Faints

Sep 15, 2022 by apost team

They say not all heroes wear capes — and that could not be any truer for two young brothers whose bravery saved the lives of 14 students aboard a school bus. 

It was supposed to be an ordinary day for brothers Connor and Seamus Collins, hopping on a regular school bus that passes through the U.S. Route 201 in Topsham town in the state of Maine. But little did the boys know that the way people see them would forever change that day. 

While on their way to Mt. Ararat Middle and High School, one of the two brothers, Connor, 16, heard an unexpected thud. As it turns out, it was the 77-year-old bus driver, Arthur McDougall, who fell to the floor after he collapsed at the wheel. Then, the bus started to veer away from the highway into a ditch.  

"I didn't see him fall. I heard him hit the ground, and then the bus started veering to the right into the ditch," Connor Collins said in an interview with News Center Maine in March 2022, recalling the first few moments before he went into action. 

Thankfully, Connor was quick enough to run, grab the front wheel, and eventually hit the brakes. As if the odds are in their favor, the 16-year-old high school student apparently knows how to drive as well, which made it easier for him to stop the bus, he told WGME in a separate interview in the same month.

Read on to learn more about 16-year-old Connor's heroic act of bravery. 

"I need to stop this bus before it goes into the ditch more or before anyone else gets hurt," Connor said. 

He then told his brother to call 911 to seek help, allowing the police to respond to the situation immediately. "I got up and pressed on the break and told my little brother to call 911," Connor added. 

As soon as Seamus, 12, got off the call with the police, he made sure to calm everyone down on the bus. He also reassured them that help was on the way. "I was trying to keep everyone calm, tell everyone it was going to be ok, the police are on their way," Seamus said in the same interview with News Center Maine. 

But even at such a young age, it seems Seamus knew what to do in dire situations as he went out of his way to comfort one of the students. Seamus said he hugged one of the students who was freaking out and crying following the incident. But he acknowledged that it was a natural response considering most of them had never been in such a traumatizing situation before. 

"I gave one of the other students a hug because he was crying and freaking out because he's never been in a situation like this. Most of them haven't. And when it's in a bus accident, it's very traumatizing," Seamus said. 

While the two brothers were able to save the lives of the fourteen students onboard, the driver later died at a hospital despite efforts to revive him. 

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Following the incident, the two brothers started making headlines and breaking the internet, with many particularly praising their bravery. Not only did they win the hearts of many, but they also caught the attention of the owner of no less than their favorite football team, the New England Patriots. 

Robert Kraft himself surprised the brothers in a Zoom call, praising them for their heroic acts. "You're very brave and special, and we respect and admire what you both did, how courageous you both were," Kraft told them in the call. 

But Kraft did not call the boys to simply congratulate them. The billionaire and businessman also invited the brothers to watch the opening game of the Patriots. "So, we were wondering if we could invite you to the opening game this year and get you tickets?" Kraft asked the boys. 

Of course, Connor and Seamus happily accepted Kraft's invitation to the Patriots game at Gillet Stadium. 

But even though McDougall did not survive the accident, his widow Diane could not be more grateful to the two boys for trying to do everything to save her late husband. In fact, the Collins brothers found the biggest fan in her. 

"By her emotion, it meant a lot to her — seeing her happy during a sad time made me happy," Seamus was quoted as saying in a story published on the Patriots website. 

"What his wife told us was that every day he got home he would always say, 'I got the kids to and from safely, so I'm happy,'" he added. 

Even though they will live on in the memories of many as heroes, Seamus believes they only did the right thing at that moment. 

Were you inspired by Connor and Seamus Collins' heroic acts? Let us know your thoughts, and don't forget to share this story with people you consider heroes!