18-wheeler smashed into broken-down school bus—but bus driver's one gut-driven act saved all 30 students on board
Occupations of service that especially involve children require a special kind of determination and resilience as a key skill. Workers need to have a selfless character to look after and work in the best interest of the kids. Loraine superintendent Dustin Anders exhibited this selflessness while driving along Interstate 20, West Texas, Abilene Reporter News noted. The school bus driver was responsible for 30 kids that day and managed to save their lives after a mishap, KTXS ABC 12 revealed. In that one fleeting moment, when things suddenly went wrong, the driver made a brave decision and followed up to save the school kids first.
It was a regular day and Anders had taken the regular route that afternoon. Unfortunately, his bus started to act funny and suddenly shut off. Before things could get worse, he got the vehicle to the side of the road as quickly as possible. While he pondered what to do next, something pushed him to get the students off the bus and get them to the opposite corner, away from the bus. "It was just instinct. Getting far away from the bus as possible and we'll just sit in the grass and wait for somebody,” the man recalled. Perhaps time was on their side and as soon as the kids were all safe on the other side, an 18-wheeler rammed into the very bus.
"Right at the end of that time frame, the 18-wheeler, in my opinion, didn't even slow down and just hit it," Anders recounted. Because they were all on the other end, they were unharmed and safe. As soon as the kids moved, Anders quickly contacted the school and parents and informed them of the situation, calling for backup. Call it a smart or instinctive move, it saved 30 lives along with Anders. The bus sustained much damage, but all in all, the truck driver and others were safe after the mishap. For the man, the safety of the kids was all that mattered. While everyone called him a hero for his sharp thinking and action, he was determined to prioritize the kids. "No man... My job is to take care of kiddos. I'll do whatever it takes to take care of them,” he remarked.
He noted that he had been at the job driving for four years and knew how important it was to take responsibility for the kids. “You do what you can do to get these kids taken care of,” he explained. Sharing in a post, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) commended the driver for saving the students from what could have been a “deadly crash.” DPS’ Northwest Texas Regional Director, J.C. Longway, noted that it was an “honor” to commend the man for his precautionary response to an initially trivial vehicle issue. His quick response to dangerous circumstances resulted in protecting his treasured passengers from severe injury and potential loss of life. This award is a small token of our appreciation for his commitment to the safety of his students,” he noted.