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Published Wednesday, April 22, 2009 in Local

Photo by Jeff Bishop

Lee Middle School student Jay Warner,14, is recognized by the Coweta school bus drivers Wednesday for saving the life of Donna Mitchell, right. “Jay is Donna Mitchell’s hero, and our hero,” said Judy Gresham, transportation director, left.

Teen honored for heroism on bus

By Jeff Bishop

The Newnan Times-Herald

Jamarious "Jay" Warner, a 14-year-old student at Lee Middle School, was recognized for his heroism and quick thinking by Coweta County school bus drivers Wednesday.

Warner's fast action earlier this year may have saved the life of a school bus driver and helped avoid a traffic accident, school system employees said.

"When you do something good, you should be recognized," said bus driver Donna Mitchell, who briefly passed out when finishing her route one Friday afternoon in January.

"He's my guardian angel," Mitchell said.

Warner was recognized by the school system and Nalley Bus Group at the annual school bus drivers' picnic at the Coweta bus garage on Cofield Drive.

Warner was a passenger on Mitchell's bus route when Mitchell started feeling "something was wrong with her," according to Judy Gresham, Coweta Schools' transportation manager.

"We heard the 911 scanner ring out for an ambulance for a school bus on Highway 154, and I got on the bus radio asking who's on 154," Gresham said. "No one answered."

"I was turning left off Raymond Hill Road onto 154," said Mitchell. "I was sick to my stomach. I had stomach pains, and I could tell something was wrong."

"I got into Springwater Plantation subdivision, into the turning lane, and then I looked up at Jay, and that's all she wrote," said Mitchell.

"She had pulled over, and I saw that she fell over," said Warner. "At first I thought she was just waiting on somebody. And then I went up there, and she was passed out. So I stopped the bus and called 911."

As it turns out, it was the first time the teen had ever called 911. And even though he's not yet of driving age, he had enough wits about him to pull on the brake.

"I pulled the yellow button -- the emergency button, I guess," he said.

"He was the last student on the bus, so it was kind of a miracle thing," said Mitchell.

Meanwhile another bus driver, Ann Hobb, heard Gresham's radio call and passed Mitchell's bus about the same time. She radioed back to tell Gresham what was happening.

"Jay knew something was wrong," Gresham said.

She said Warner's quick action made the bus -- which was slowly rolling along the busy highway -- come to a full stop. He stayed on the phone with the emergency dispatcher until Hobb arrived on the scene.

"He did an awesome job," Gresham said. "He was so calm about the whole thing."

When asked how he knew what to do, Gresham said he told her he sees bus drivers pull on the big knob every time they stop, so he did the same thing.

Mitchell, who suffered a serious stomach-related malady, has made a full recovery and is back on her route.

By strange coincidence, Warner wasn't even supposed to be on Mitchell's route on Jan. 30. He isn't one of Mitchell's regular riders, and Mitchell was taking him home for another driver. Warner was Mitchell's last stop.

And apparently the right one.

Bill Hewitt of Nalley Motor Trucks, which provided the school system with that particular bus, said that in an era of wave after wave of bad news, "it's good to have some good news to share, for a change."

Warner "had to make a snap decision," Hewitt said. "On behalf of Nalley, it's a real pleasure to be here today to recognize you."

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Guideposts Magazine

4/24/2009