Truck Driver Passes Away After Saving Kids From School Bus Crash

A Georgia truck driver died after saving a school bus full of children and the bus driver after he accidentally rear-ended it with his vehicle.

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Image via Getty/Gokhan Balci

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Johnathon Grayer, a 25-year-old trucker, died a hero after he accidentally rear-ended a school bus as it was unloading kids in Georgia on Wednesday. According to Peoplethere were 10 children on board at the time of the crash. After Grayer's truck collided with the bus, he immediately sprung into action and aided in getting all of the children off of the bus before he collapsed himself. Sadly, he passed away from injuries sustained in the crash. 

Cpl. Shane Copeland told CNN that it felt as if his body had just given out after all of the children were safe and off the bus. 

"He must've been running on adrenaline, and his body gave out," he said. "He was pretty much done by that point." 

Security footage from the crash also shows Grayer fully collapsing after everyone had been unloaded. He would later die once he arrived at Bacon County Hospital. The bus driver and three other students were brought to the same hospital to be treated for minor injuries, and three other students were taken to another hospital for non-lethal injuries.

“We try to do the standard procedures on every crash and treat all crashes equally," Copeland continued. "However emotionally, you can’t help but to think I’ve got three children and you can’t help but to think of your three children on their bus back home and it does make it personal if that makes sense."

Terrible news out of Alma. @GAFirstLady, the girls, and I are praying for the family and loved ones of the truck driver who lost their life and the students who are injured. https://t.co/IGkkWlDS9h

— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) August 12, 2020

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp echoed these sentiments on Twitter as well, sending out his condolences to the Grayer family and respects to the 25-year-old, who put his own life on the line to help the children in danger.

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