Milwaukee County Board honors 7 MCTS bus drivers who helped find lost, missing children
MILWAUKEE -- Seven Milwaukee County Transit System bus drivers who helped find lost or missing children in recent years were honored by the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors on Thursday, June 20.
According to a news release from MCTS, the drivers were invited to the board meeting Thursday, where they were presented with awards recognizing their heroic and compassionate actions while behind the wheel.
The release described those actions as follows:
In May 2019, MCTS Driver Cecilia Nation-Gardnerstopped her bus near 35th and Vliet streets to help a little boy who she spotted running through traffic. It turned out, the 6-year-old, who has a disability, had wandered away from school unnoticed.
MCTS Driver Irena Ivic was driving at 4th and Mitchell on a cold day in December 2018 when she saw a baby girl, barefoot and in a diaper, wandering alone. She scooped up the child and carried her to the safety of her bus.
MCTS Driver Chris Feezor called for help late one night in September 2018 after he came across a small child wandering a neighborhood unattended. Chris pulled over and stayed with the child until officers arrived.
MCTS Driver Diana Serrano was driving on Lapham Boulevard near I-43 in August 2018 when she saw a toddler in the street wearing only a T-shirt and underwear. As she waited for police to arrive, Diana comforted the girl by talking to her softly and showing her photos of puppies.
MCTS Driver Karen Martinez-Casper was driving along Route 80 on a chilly morning in October 2017 when she noticed a barefoot boy, shivering and alone. She carried the scared child to her bus and waited for police to arrive.
Former MCTS Driver Duane Butler, who is now retired, was driving Route 27 in July 2017 when he saw a 2-year-old boy standing outside in slippers all by himself. Duane pulled over and worked with a passenger to bring the boy to safety. Police later learned that the child left his house while his mother was sleeping.
Former MCTS Driver Jeannie Mitchell, who is now a route supervisor, was driving in October 2016 when she saw two young children walking alone near Hopkins and Hampton. Police say the 5-year-old girl and 1-year-old boy had walked away from their babysitter and became lost while trying to find a relative’s house.