It’s not every day that someone decides to do the right thing, even when no one is watching.
Yet, that’s exactly what one heroic bus driver did when he saved a five-year-old girl after sensing something wasn’t quite right when she was walking all by herself down the road. The bus driver didn’t hesitate to act and ensure the little girl was safe.
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This shows that not all heroes wear capes; some drive buses.
It started as a normal day for a New York MTA bus driver
A New York MTA bus driver named Luis Jimenez was working a typical September shift when he spotted something unusual. He noticed a five-year-old girl named Adaline Gonzalez walking down the street alone. He was immediately concerned.
Jimenez’s fatherly instincts kicked in
As a father, Jimenez imagined how worried he’d be if it was his child walking all alone. He kept an eye on Adaline for a few blocks until he concluded that the little girl was roaming without any supervision.
Despite having a bus full of passengers, Jimenez made this urgent situation a priority.
The police were called
Jimenez asked one of his passengers to call 9-1-1 and report that the little girl was walking around without a parent or guardian. However, he didn’t just call the police and then continue his route. He stuck around to make sure the five-year-old was safe.
With police advice, he got the little girl on the bus
With advice from the police dispatcher, Jimenez and his passengers were able to stop and get the little girl safely into the bus and out of any possible harm.
We must say that Adaline truly had an amazing guardian angel!
He’s a bus driver determined to do the right thing
Jimenez explained to the local news that his ethos as a bus driver is to “do something” if he “sees something.” He joked that his wife worries about him because he isn’t afraid to go against the grain when acting during an emergency.
The police safely returned the girl to her family
Little Adaline was reunited with her parents thanks to Jimenez, who later learned that the five-year-old, nicknamed ‘Addy,’ had decided to skip school and go to the pet store.
She wanted a new fish after her pet died that same morning. She didn’t tell her parents about her plan, and this was the first time she had left school and walked alone.
We must say that was one determined little kid,
Jimenez almost didn’t work that day
Jimenez recalled contemplating calling in sick and not driving his bus route that fateful day. Fortunately, he decided to work, and little did he know, he saved a little girl’s life that day.
The two were eventually reunited
Here you can see the real-life Jimenez and Addy! The two were reunited shortly following Adaline’s fish purchase mission.
“Thank you Luis, for being my hero and saving my life,” Adaline said to Jimenez. The five-year-old’s family also gave the bus driver a New York Jets hat that says “Addy’s Hero.”
Adaline named her new fish after Jimenez
To add to this already adorable story, the cherry on top comes from little Adaline naming her new fish (which her parents did end up getting her!) after the bus driver.
Her fish named Luis has an origin story that won’t ever be forgotten.
Let us know what you think in the comments
What did you think of this touching tale? Let us know below!
