A parent always worries about their child until they return home safe and sound from school. Students at Glenarden Woods Elementary knew they were in excellent care even before they made it to class, thanks to bus driver Renita Smith. Her natural maternal instincts and care came in handy everyday, especially when the unthinkable jeopardized everyone on board.
Renita Smith is a mother of two, living in Maryland. She took up a job as a school bus driver back in 2014, and while many in her profession saw driving simply a way to earn money, for Renita, it became so much more.
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Although she struggles living paycheck-to-paycheck, she loves her job. The young elementary school students that she drives mean the world to her. As a mother herself, she understands the importance of connecting with the kids.
From the moment the children arrive on her bus til the moment they step off, she considers each and every one of them as her babies, and she’s willing to do whatever she can to take care of them. She proved her sense of love, care, and responsibility one fateful day.
One afternoon, on her usual route through the Prince George county in 2016, Renita was put to the test. She was nearly finished with driving, with a total of 20 elementary students on the bus. A sudden alert hinted there was trouble.
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While driving to her next stop, a warning light on the bus’ dashboard went off. Renita didn’t notice anything concerning at the time, so she believed she could make it to her next stop and inspect the problem there. But she wouldn’t get that chance.
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The bus hadn’t even made it a full block when the children began to scream. Renita was stunned to see what was happening in the back of the bus: A terrible fire was beginning to spread!
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The children shouted, “Miss Bus Driver, it smells like smoke!” And so it was that dark fumes were filling up in the back of the bus. The fire didn’t start to move immediately, but Renita Smith did.
CNN
The children were beginning to panic. One girl had to calm herself down to console her brother, who broke out in tears. Renita, although scared herself, was calm and collected. She stopped the bus. She had a plan.
Meanwhile, residents on the block rushed out of their houses to witness the horrific sight of a bus engulfed in smoke. The bystanders did not approach too closely. One local resident was city council member, Fazlul Kabir, who watched Renita become a hero.
YouTube/Mark Brady
Renita calmly but swiftly guided the children off of the bus. One local homeowner welcomed the kids to their backyard, far away from the fiery vehicle. Rather than join the kids, Renita paused… and sprinted back to the bus.
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She needed to know for sure that no child was left behind. She checked each and every seat, even the ones in the back where the fire was growing stronger. One of the county residents recorded Renita’s heroic actions.
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Fortunately unscathed, Renita finally joined her babies, and they hugged and cried together. Everyone returned home safely. This, however, was not going to be the end of Renita’s story.
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Some time later, Renita Smith received an award from the president of the county, Dr. Kevin Maxwell, in a special ceremony. It was a plaque recognizing Renita’s incredible courage and heroism. A second ceremony at City Hall was had where Renita was given another plaque, along with a standing ovation.
City of College Park
To give a special thank you to Renita, Glenarden Woods Elementary School held an event in the school’s auditorium. A choir sang “Wind Beneath My Wings” to the very teary-eyed Renita, while the students she saved gave her one rose each to show their love and appreciation. The wider world took notice, too.
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Fazlul Kabir, who witnessed the incident, was so touched by Renita’s heroic acts that he took to social media to spread the word of the heroic bus driver. Her life would never be the same.
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Right away, the Facebook and Twitter posts went viral, catching the attention of multiple news outlets, including CNN. In one interview, Renita Smith reflected on what made her so strong that day.
Upon watching the camera footage of her heroic actions, Renita was shocked, even questioning, “What was I thinking?” When it came to the children though, she had only one thing in mind. “I have to be strong for the babies,” she told a reporter.
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At this point, Renita’s name and story had been heard all across the nation. One more big name would come into her life and ask for an interview. It was famed comedian, actress, and TV personality Ellen DeGeneres, who had a special treat for Renita.
The Ellen Show
Ellen DeGeneres flew Renita out to Los Angeles to appear on her show. Although Renita’s humble nature tried to downplay her heroism, Ellen wouldn’t allow that. After telling her story, Renita was given a check for $20,000, which helped her with her financial trouble. The Smith family was so proud.
The Ellen Show
Unlike everyone else who knew of her story, Renita’s two boys were not surprised with their mom’s actions. To them, she was already a hero. It goes to show how special a bus driver can be — and how special the kids can be to them.