Bus driver hailed hero after spotting five-year-old girl walking on her own down New York City street
An MTA bus driver is being hailed as a hero after seeing a little girl walking alone through the streets of New York City.
Luis Jimenez, 60, was finishing his morning shift when something caught his fatherly attention: a 5-year-old girl walking alone on the sidewalk near 160th and Broadway Tuesday afternoon.
βWe have a saying in the MTA: If you see something, say something,β Jimenez said ABC-7.
“Well, with me, I’ll do something,” he added, smiling.
Veteran MTA bus driver Luis Jimenez, 60, is being called a hero after he saw a five-year-old girl walking alone with her school bag still in hand
The little girl had skipped school after her fish died with the plan to go to a pet store and buy a new fish
The Harlem resident watched her through his front window for about a block before finally deciding to stop, call his dispatcher and have a passenger phone call 911.
And with the help of the other passengers, Jimenez was able to get the little girl, school bag still in hand, safely onto the bus.
Her school reported the toddler missing after she failed to show up for class.
Although she had no history of missing school, she had another plan for that particular day: to go to the pet store.
The little girl’s fish had recently died and she was on her way to replace her beloved pet.
The five-year-old was already ten blocks from the safety of her school grounds before Jimenez spotted her.
Fortunately, he decided to go to work that morning after initially considering calling in sick.
Jimenez said his fatherly instincts took over, and he kept an eye on the child for about a block after he first noticed her.
Jimenez ultimately decided to stop the bus near 160 and Broadway as he called 911 and another passenger called 911.
His instincts quickly kicked in and he managed to get the child into the right hands and safely back to her family.
βMy instincts as a father kicked in because if I see a child on the street that needs help, I would want someone to help one of my children or one of my grandchildren,β he said.
The veteran bus driver is approaching his 26th year as a transit worker in New York. He works from 6am to 4pm on different routes and is constantly meeting new people in the big apple.
Born and raised in the city, specifically in Washington Heights, Jimenez would treat all of his riders as if they were just an old friend.
“He always tries to make all customers feel good while riding,” said one of his riders CBS News in 2021.
And this isn’t the first time he’s been recognized for his hard work and positive attitude.
When the pandemic shut down the busy streets of New York City in 2021, he knew it was his duty to get essential workers to and from work every day.
He worked 12-hour shifts month after month as the virus continued to spread.
Jimenez is approaching his 26th year as a transit worker in New York City and is said to treat all his riders as if they were his neighbor
But his dedication to the people of the city was recognized, and he was one of the essential workers chosen by the NFL and CBS Sports to appear on the Super Bowl Pregame Show.
βNew York is not stopping,β he told CBS News. ‘We’re moving to New York. If we stop, New York stops.β
‘When I was needed, I could say: ‘I’m here.’
Last year, New York Liberty, a professional American basketball team based in the city and Brooklyn, celebrated Black History Month on their YouTube channel by spotlighting several ticket members who have a direct impact on the Black community β one of them being Jimenez.
He talked about his passion for transporting people from all walks of life and the joy he spreads throughout the community.
He was also recognized on New York Liberty’s YouTube channel during Black History Month, where he shared his passion for his work
And when he clocks off his MTA shift, he hangs up his uniform and goes dancing for the Timeless Torches β a dance team for the WNBA’s New York Liberty for men and women over the age of 40.
‘Driving in New York City is a perfect day. When I open that door, it’s like the world comes to me. I love my passengers. βI want to give them the best ride, the best time and the best view of the city while I take them to their destination,β he shared The art of doing.
‘That ride, that is my gift to them. Wherever they come from, they can take that with them from New York City. I tell my children: you have to love what you do.’
As for the little girl, it’s still unclear if she was able to get her new pet fish.
But Jimenez said if she didn’t, he and the community should help her in that area as well.
βThese are tough times and things are happening every day, and every day we have to come in with a positive attitude and be able to, even though things are negative around the world, to continue and make a difference.β