Bus Driver Helps Rescue Lost Child During Snowstorm

Minneapolis bus driver Ambrose Younge is being praised for helping a lost boy he spotted while finishing his route. He noticed a young boy wandering alone during a snowstorm on a day with 21 degree temperatures and knew he needed to help. The boy was wearing a backpack despite school cancellations and tugging on the door handle of a car.

Younge said he knew he had to do something when the car pulled away leaving the child. He convinced the 9 year old boy to get on the bus and quickly realized he was autistic. He called the control center that Metro shares with the police department and informed them of the lost boy. Patrol officer Juan Peralta said minutes earlier he overheard the report of a missing child.

“We overheard there was a missing child, we took note of that and within minutes our Metro Transit dispatch notified us a Metro Transit operator had a child,” Peralta said. Officer Peralta says the child has autism and was nonverbal. It’s not the first time he had wandered away from home. The boy, who had wandered 15 blocks from his home, was reunited with his family thanks to Younge.

Younge said he doesn’t want to be called a hero. “I feel like I did what we’re trained to do as bus drivers. I feel like it’s what any bus driver would do, or any parent in my position, my shoes would do,” Younge said. “I’m just happy he was able to get safely back to his family. I consider myself a dad because that’s what I would hope someone would do for my child” he said.