Saint Louis School Hawaii

Friday, March 5, 2010, Saint Louis School awarded the 1st ever “Valor Award” to the young men who were involved with the School Bus accident on Friday, February 20. These three young men: Dee Soliman (12); Eric Agluba (10) and Michael Fanning (9) – were on the School bus that particular morning which involved a chartered school bus and a 65 year-old woman. On that particular morning, these three young men stepped up to make a difference.

It was around 6:30 in the morning when a chartered bus ran over the 65 year-old women. Forty-two private school students were on that bus. And after calling 9-1-1, three Saint Louis School students took action. Dee Soliman told Michael to stay on the bus and tell the students to stay calm and in their seats. Quickly, they focused on the youngest student, a third grader on the bus, who was with her sister.

They kept the students calm and told them not to look out the window to avoid the gruesome scene. Before paramedics arrived, Soliman and Agluba jumped off the bus to offer first aid. Eric and Dee went outside and tried helping as best as they could but unfortunately there was nothing for them to do.

That tragic day also taught them an important lesson. Each of them realized how life can just be gone in one day and then you have nothing to look forward to after that.

At the Assembly, Saint Louis School honored the three students with a certificate and medal of valor. It's the first time we have bestowed the honor on Saint Louis students. The students say their training with Junior ROTC helped them stay calm and make the right decisions. JROTC taught them how to control themselves and their adrenaline to make the best decisions possible. We praise and acknowledge their valor, courage and leadership in a crisis situation. The events that transpired that particular morning has changed their lives and those they helped on the bus. We are proud of each of them for choosing to make a difference that morning with their actions, compassion and leadership in helping others.

Thank you,
Jodi Anne Yoshida
Director of Communications
Direct: (808) 739-4800
Fax: (808) 739-4853
E-mail: jyoshida@saintlouishawaii.org