Ebro Ahmed, 27, owner of Ya Bricks Snacks & Tobacco, halted a Battle Creek Middle School bus that had begun moving at about 10 mph on Monday afternoon in St. Paul.
He sprinted toward the open‑door vehicle, climbed aboard, and, despite having no bus‑driving experience, pulled the neutral lever, engaged the parking brake, and brought the vehicle to a stop. "I didn't know what to do, but I pulled the lever," Ahmed said.
Ahmed helped the incapacitated driver and instructed the 19 students to call 911. None of the children suffered physical injuries, though many were visibly shaken and the district's mental‑health team was called to assess the pupils.
School officials confirmed the driver was taken to a nearby hospital for a medical emergency and was discharged later that day.
The incident sparked nationwide social‑media praise for Ahmed, and St. Paul Public Schools announced it would conduct a safety review of its emergency response protocols to prevent a recurrence.
Ahmed, who works from his family‑owned shop, said he could have imagined the students as his own children, underscoring the personal stakes of the rescue.