Minnesota Man Stops Out-of-Control School Bus, Says Quranic Verse Inspired Him

A 27-year-old man in Minnesota has been hailed as a hero after he jumped aboard a school bus carrying frightened children and manually brought it to a stop when the driver suffered a medical emergency.

The man, Ibro Ahmed, said a verse from the Holy Quran inspired him to act, reminding him that saving one life is like saving all of humanity.

According to The Guardian, Ahmed recounted the incident in an interview outside his family’s convenience store in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Friday.

“I’m a numbers guy, and that number made sense to me. I didn’t do this for myself. In the name of God, it was a selfless act,” he said.

Security camera footage captured the dramatic incident, which occurred on Monday afternoon outside Ahmed’s family-owned business, Ya Bricks Snacks and Tobacco.

Ahmed was taking a break outside the store, playing with a football and scrolling through his phone, when he noticed a yellow school bus approaching with its door open.

He said he saw foam coming from the driver’s mouth and realised something was seriously wrong, possibly a seizure or another medical emergency.

Reacting instinctively, Ahmed ran towards the moving bus and jumped through the open doorway. To free both hands, he tossed his phone and glasses towards two girls standing nearby.

Initially, he thought he might be able to put the bus into park. Amid the frightened children’s screams, however, he pulled the emergency brake, bringing the vehicle to a stop before anyone on board or on the road was injured.

After stopping the bus, Ahmed asked one of the children to call emergency services.

Students Safely Reunited With Their Families
St. Paul Public Schools confirmed in a statement on Friday that a medical emergency involving a bus driver had occurred outside Ahmed’s family store on Monday. Paramedics were called to the scene.

The school district said another bus was subsequently dispatched to take the 19 students on board safely home.

The driver was taken to hospital for treatment and later discharged. The driver is now recovering at home, according to the district.

The National Safety Council estimates that approximately 20.3 million children travel by school bus across the United States each day. While medical emergencies involving drivers can occur, quick-thinking bystanders can sometimes prevent a potentially serious accident.

Local television station KTSP obtained and published footage of Ahmed running towards and boarding the moving bus. The video, along with his interview, quickly went viral on social media.

Ahmed said the popular medical television drama Grey’s Anatomy had taught him lessons about responding to unexpected situations.

“It teaches you what to do in situations you never thought you would find yourself in,” he said.

Quranic Verse Inspired His Decision
Speaking to The Guardian on Friday, Ahmed explained that a passage from the Quran came to mind as he decided to intervene.

The verse states that whoever saves one life, it is as if they have saved all of humanity. The passage appears in Surah Al-Ma’idah, verse 32.

Ahmed said the teaching helped reinforce his decision to act rather than stand by as the bus continued moving with children aboard.

Turning a Difficult Time Into a Positive Story
Ahmed also spoke about the challenges his family has faced running a small business during President Donald Trump’s second-term immigration crackdown.

His parents immigrated to the United States from Eritrea in East Africa, while Ahmed himself was born in the country.

He said sales at the family store had declined since federal immigration agents began operations in St. Paul and neighbouring Minneapolis as part of the Trump administration’s Operation Metro campaign.

“As a small East African business, it has been a really difficult time,” Ahmed said.

Despite those challenges, he expressed relief that the rescue had given him an opportunity to represent Eritreans and the wider East African community in a positive light.

A local marketing and media company awarded Ahmed $1,000 in recognition of his actions. He has also been invited to speak on at least one panel, while a city council member contacted him to offer congratulations.

An uncle living in Europe also called after seeing the news.

But Ahmed said the most meaningful response had come from members of the Eritrean community, whose social media networks had widely shared his story.

“I’m really proud to be able to represent my people in a positive light,” he said.