A 63-year-old Maryland bus driver, Ruize Bell, is being heralded as a hero after suffering a heart attack while on the job. While Bell was suffering the aforementioned medical emergency, he managed to park the bus, saving his passengers in the last moments of his life.
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According to NBC Washington, the incident took place on Wednesday, April 30. While driving south on Interstate 355, Bell suffered a heart attack. This medical emergency could have meant bad news for the passengers. However, in an extreme act of selflessness, the father of 10 managed to pull over and stop the bus before dying.
Apparently, this heroic act is in character with Ruize Bell, who worked for Ride On as a driver. His own daughter, Zhane Bell, told WUSA that he wasn't surprised that her dad would do something of the nature.
"He was actually able to pull over and stop and park it safely," Zhane told the outlet. "I was like, 'Dang, that's my dad.' Because no matter what, he thought about everybody else before himself."
Now, Zhane and the rest of Ruize's family will have to face his loss. However, in life, Ruize Bell managed to teach his family how to be strong in moments like this.
"It's the toughest thing we'll probably ever have to go through," Zhane added. "But I know he's still here and I know he would want us all to be strong."
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Ruize's Ride On supervisor, Latika Ochieng, was left in awe after hearing about the circumstances of Bell's death.
"That really spoke to his character: to be suffering his own tragedy and to still think about protecting other people," Ochieng said. "I don't think people know how that could've gone in so many other ways."
Similarly, Jennifer Beckwhit, a transit operator, praised Bell's actions.
"He was a hero for his family and for the Gaithersburg depot in general," Beckwhit said. "He was just an all-around to me, a superman."
And while what Ruize Bell was nothing short of heroic, his loss is felt deeply in his loved ones' hearts. That's the case of Yader Mendez, one of Bell's coworkers who knew him for 10 years.
"The pain that I felt in the chest, it was a little tightening," Mendez said. "I got nervous. I was told by another coworker of his passing, so it's one of those things where it's hard to swallow."
Beckwhit shared the same sentiment, saying, "The whole entire Gaithersburg depot is going to miss him. This is one that hit very hard."
According to the Tribute Archive, a viewing will be held on Saturday, May 17, at 10 a.m. at the Epworth United Methodist Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland. At 11 a.m., a funeral service will be held for Ruize Bell.
