'I’ve Never Swam In My Life’: School Bus Driver Rescues Missing 4-Year-Old From Lake

November 26, 2025

A school bus driver in Minnesota is being hailed as a hero after she spotted a 4-year-old boy running toward Lake Owasso and jumped into action — literally.

Mebal Kaanyi / KARE 11 News

Mebal Kaanyi, who drives for Roseville Area Schools through Schmitty & Sons Bus Co., had just finished her afternoon route on Thursday when something caught her eye near Chandler and Owasso Boulevard.

“I see this little guy coming, running down the street,” she recalled. The boy was crying, dressed only in underwear and a short-sleeve shirt, and had no shoes or jacket—despite the cold weather. What Kaanyi didn’t know at the time was that the child’s aunt had just called 911 to report him missing.

As deputies rushed to the area, Kaanyi watched the boy head straight for the water. She tried reaching him from her driver’s window, but he kept running. When he reached the fence by the lake and the gate swung open, Kaanyi said her heart “skipped.”

She immediately secured her bus and sprinted after him. By the time she reached the shore, the boy had already stepped into the lake—into a deep section—and began to struggle.

Here’s the part that makes her bravery even more remarkable: Kaanyi is terrified of water and has never learned to swim. But in that moment, she said, fear didn’t matter.

“The spot where he stepped, it was deep, so he just started struggling in there. I’ve never swam in my entire life ... I get goosebumps just looking at the water. I’m so afraid of water, but that day, I was determined to do anything possible to save that kid.”

As the boy struggled to stay above water, he pushed himself toward her. Kaanyi grabbed his hand, pulled him to safety, and carried him back to her school bus, where he was wrapped in towels until first responders arrived.

When Ramsey County Sgt. Matt Marson and other deputies got to the scene, they found the boy safe on the bus thanks to her courage. Marson later said Kaanyi’s quick actions prevented what could have been a heartbreaking outcome. “She was integral in saving that child’s life,” he said. “She’s a hero, plain and simple.”

Kaanyi, humble as ever, believes she simply did what anyone should do. “We need to live in a society whereby we care for one another,” she said.

Officials say she will be formally recognized with a life-saving award.

Meet Kaanyi in the video below: