Bus driver saw a boy with backpack on a cold day—he remembered what day it was and it saved the boy’s life

The man was quite concerned when he saw the boy wandering out on his own during a snowstorm.

PUBLISHED 2 HOURS AGO

(L) A man looking ahead and driving a bus. (R) A boy wandering out during a snowstorm. Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | SolStock; Mariya Borisova

A child going missing can be a really concerning incident. Especially if the same happens during bad weather conditions. Luckily for one boy lost during a snowstorm, a bus driver was out there to rescue him. The bus driver, Ambrose Younge, was at the end of his route when he noticed that a young child was wandering on his own. He decided to approach the 9-year-old and help him get back to safety with the help of two other people, per NBC-affiliate KARE 11.

A boy standing out alone during a snowstorm. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Mariya Borisova

The boy was wearing a backpack and Younge knew that school had been cancelled that day. "There was a child in the road, he was tugging on the handle of the door of a car, trying to get in the car. And as I was thinking, I was like, 'I don’t know what’s going on here,'" Younge recounted. "That was the day that all the snow in the world decided to come to Minnesota." So he was really concerned to see the child out by himself. The boy couldn't talk either, but somehow Younge convinced him to get on the bus. The driver later learned that the boy had autism. He contacted the control center that Metro and the police department share and informed them that a kid was lost.

A bus driver adjusting his rear-view mirror. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Lightfield Studios

"It was within minutes that the transit control center reported that driver Younge had already made contact with a child. It was just a matter of seconds before we realized it was the child missing from North Minneapolis," Juan Peralta, a patrol officer, explained. The boy had walked around 15 blocks away from his home before Younge found him. It was something that kids with autism tend to do, per the outlet. The officer ruled out the signs of neglect in the incident. "In this particular occasion, he moved a little bit too fast for the caretaker." The little boy was finally taken back to his family. Younge didn't want to take any credit for the rescue and pointed out that he did it because of his instinct as a dad.

via GIPHY

"I consider myself a dad because that’s what I would hope someone would do for my child. I guess we are the guardians of the city, not the galaxy, the city," Younge joked. "I like the fact that I get to help people," he added. In Metro Transit's statement, Younge shared, "As a bus operator, it’s my job to take care of people. Here’s a kid in need – I need to get him someplace safe and warm." He continued, "I could tell the child was very anxious. He was non-verbal and difficult to communicate with, but I kept an eye on him and kept talking to him." John Mills, the TCC supervisor, who picked up Younge's call, went on, "He did a fantastic job in picking up the child, taking custody of him and then contacting TCC immediately."

When Mills received the call, he immediately contacted the police department to check if there were any reports of lost children in the area that matched Younge's description. They eventually found out that an autistic boy's caretaker had filed a report that matched the description perfectly. Peralta responded and got the child back to safety as his training taught him how to work with autistic people. Younge could say that bus drivers do more for the city than just their duty after the incident. "Bus operators are the eyes and ears of the city. And, we’re here to help."

If you have any information on a missing child, please contact Missingkids.org at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678)