After Ebro Ahmed helped bring a moving school bus to a stop on St. Paul’s east side, one community recognition took place and another was announced. Media maker Sheletta Brundidge surprised him at his family’s Dayton’s Bluff store on Oct. 22 with a $1,000 check and a guest dressed as Superman, according to MPR News. The Human Development Fund published an account on Oct. 26 saying it had honored Ahmed with its Hero Award, but it did not say when that presentation took place. The two recognitions were separate.
The events grew from a brief moment outside Ya Bricks Snacks and Tobacco. Ahmed, 27, was working at the family shop on Oct. 19 and had stepped outside to kick a soccer ball when a school bus rolled by with its door open, MPR reported. Store surveillance video published by CBS Minnesota shows Ahmed running toward the bus and climbing aboard. The school district said 19 students were on the bus. CBS quotes Ahmed saying he saw the driver having a medical issue; MPR similarly describes an apparent medical emergency. CBS said the bus had just dropped off some children before continuing forward with its door open. MPR reported that the store camera captured it passing at about 3:17 p.m. and Ahmed springing into action.
Ahmed told MPR he had never driven a bus. He first tried to put it in park, but the vehicle went into reverse; he then shifted to neutral and pulled the parking brake. He asked one of the students to call police. MPR reported officers arrived within minutes. Ahmed said the action took less than 15 seconds, but he was unsure whether he had made the right decision and worried police might misunderstand why he had boarded.
The immediate aftermath was handled by school staff and emergency responders. St. Paul police told MPR there were no reported injuries. Paramedics took the driver for medical care, and the school district said he was resting at home by Wednesday. Some students walked home; another bus later transported those who remained. The school’s mental-health team checked in with students the following day in case anyone wanted support or had questions, according to the district.
Brundidge’s surprise came at the store three days after the rescue. MPR reported that she arrived with Brian Lepel, a professional performer dressed as Superman, and a large check for $1,000. She told the outlet that parents who had seen the video thought about their own children and wanted Ahmed to know the community appreciated him. Ahmed said he planned to put the reward toward a window-tinting business he hoped to build.
The Human Development Fund, a Muslim American charity, published its own recognition on Oct. 26. Its account says it honored Ahmed with a Hero Award bearing the inscription “2026 Award for Extraordinary Courage & Selflessness.” The article includes photos from a gathering with family and community members, but it does not say when the presentation took place. HDF quoted Ahmed describing his reason for helping as “That’s just the human in me.” The fund said its recognitions celebrate Muslim Americans’ place in their communities and framed Ahmed’s response as noticing people in danger and acting for their safety.
Ahmed has also pointed to people and values that shaped how he responded. MPR reported that he grew up in St. Paul and credited his Muslim faith and the Eritrean American youth group Denden Sports Club. HDF said he also recognized lessons from youth coaches. MPR reported that Ahmed continued working at the family store as his story drew attention, even as business had been slow in recent months. These are Ahmed’s own explanations for acting quickly, not a claim that anyone can predict how they would respond to an emergency.
He downplayed the attention afterward. MPR quoted him saying he believed others would have helped too. The recognition was more public: a check presented at the store, a costumed visitor, and an award HDF said it gave in his name. None changes the short sequence captured outside the shop. A bus passed with its door open; Ahmed noticed, ran, and tried to help the people inside.
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