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Chesterfield (KTVI/KPLR) — The family of 8-year-old Allen Lovegreen is grateful for the quick actions a Parkway School District bus driver took during a recent ride home. Allen is a 2nd grader at Wren Hollow Elementary. He started choking on an object and needed help.
“I couldn’t breathe,” said Allen.
His brother Mitchell is a 5th grader who was also on the bus.
“He tried to make a noise,” said Mitchell. He shouted for the bus driver to help. Carolyn Goering was the bus driver. She ran to help without thinking. Goering said she’s undergone first aid training but never expected she would need to use those skills on the bus she drives.
“I was just thinking these are kids that I’m entrusted with every day,” she said. “It’s my job to get them to and from home safely.”
Goering started delivering abdominal thrusts and repeated them until the object came out and Allen was safe.
“She was the hero of the day,” said Mitchell.
“She really went above and beyond,” said Sarah Lovegreen, mother of Allen and Mitchell. “We are just really thankful that she knew exactly what to do and keep her cool and get our kids home safe.”
Goering believes any one of her fellow drivers would have done the same thing. She hopes her actions show a side of bus drivers some might not know exists.
“I have children. I have grandchildren, and these are my kids,” she said. “I think every bus driver feels that way.”
The Parkway School District does not require its drivers to undergo first aid training but will now look for ways to see that every driver is trained.
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