Gold Coast teen who drove school bus after driver’s heart attack awarded ‘Young Hero of the Year’

The Gold Coast teenager who saved 27 schoolmates and other road users from a potentially deadly accident when a bus driver had a heart attack has been officially recognised for her bravery.

Rosalie Tobler, 8, and Emma Kuveya, 15, both received The Commissioner’s Achievement Award for Young Heroes of the Year. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

A Gold Coast teenager, who leapt into action when her school bus driver suffered a heart attack in July, has been recognised for her bravery in the annual Commissioner’s Achievement Awards.

Aquinas College student Emma Kuveya was sitting behind the driver of her school bus on July 8 when he suffered a heart attack while driving along Southport Nerang Rd in Ashmore.

Witnesses on the bus said the driver cried out and grabbed his chest before becoming unresponsive.

Emma, 15, leapt into action, grabbing the steering wheel and removing the bus driver’s foot from the brake.

Rosalie Tobler, 8, and Emma Kuveya, 15, both received The Commissioner’s Achievement Award for Young Heroes of the Year. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

She was awarded ‘Young Hero of the Year’ during Friday’s Commissioner’s Achievement Awards alongside eight-year-old Rosalie Tobler who dialled triple-0 when her mother collapsed in their family home following a stress-related medical episode in April this year.

Emma, who saved 27 schoolmates and other road users from a potentially deadly accident, said the only thing that was going through her mind was ‘you have to stop the bus! you have to stop the bus!’

The 15-year-old said she steered the bus away from oncoming traffic with medical assistance able to be quickly rendered to the 70-year-old bus driver.

Rosalie’s mother Telani said her daughter, guided by an Emergency Medical Dispatcher, ran around the block late at night and notified neighbours.

The scene after an Aquinas College school bus crashed after the driver suffered a medical episode. Picture: Nine Gold Coast News.

“I remember waking up in the hospital and the doctors and nurses told me that my daughter was the one that called the ambulance,” Telani said.

As a single mother, Telani said it was important her daughter knew how to respond in a medical emergency.

“We have a piece of paper on the fridge that has our address, my full name and emergency contacts,” she said.

QAS Commissioner Craig Emery praised the “remarkable” actions of both Emma and Rosalie.

Mr Emery said bystanders were often involved in almost every emergency situation.

“Remarkably children are often the calmest in these circumstances,” he said.

“We do a lot of work in the community with kids at schools about what to expect and what they should do in the event of an emergency, calling triple-0, simple things like that that make all the difference.

“Both of those children really stepped up.”

The scene after an Aquinas College school bus crashed after the driver suffered a medical episode. Picture: Nine Gold Coast News.

QAS Heritage and History Manager Mick Davis, also received his National Medal 4th Clasp for 55 years and QAS Long Service Medal 5th Clasp recognising an astounding 60 years of service.

Mr Emery said Mick Davis was a “legacy” within QAS.

“I have known him my entire career, (Mr Davis) has made some significant contributions particularly around ambulance education in the early nineties,” Mr Emery said.

Mr Davis said a highlight of his career was seeing how QAS’s scope of practice had changed.

“When I started we could help save the (patient’s) life but we couldn’t always improve their wellbeing … patients are now arriving at hospital in a lot better condition,” he said.

The ceremony also paid tribute to the 36 Queensland ambulance officers who had lost their lives in the line of duty.