Ellen Cannot Believe Mother Of Two Who Rescued Twenty Kids From Burning Bus Lives Paycheck-To-Paycheck

Mar 15, 2019 by apost team

It’s very common for parents to be nervous the first time they send their children off to school. Even the most relaxed parents feel their nerves jump on that first day.

If you aren’t a parent who does drop off for your child, waving goodbye to that yellow school bus can be all the more nerve-wracking. Having your child on a large moving vehicle with someone you don’t know very well at the helm is often a difficult thing to get used to the first few days.

Bus drivers are some of the most dedicated and hard-working drivers on the road. They know very well how precious the “cargo” they have to transport is, with the adorable little ones peeking over the leather seats just behind them. Bus drivers like Renita Smith demonstrate just how far above and beyond drivers go for the kiddos in their school buses.

In 2016, Smith proved herself to be a true hero when she rescued 20 children off of a burning bus. Not only did she act quickly and get them all to safety, but she risked her own life when she got back on the bus in order to ensure that all 20 of her "babies" were safe and sound. 

Her story became widely known afterward and she even appeared on "The Ellen Degeneres Show." While there, she told her story in detail. The show was so impressed with Smith's heroic deed that they teamed up with Shutterfly and gifted her $20,000 to commend her on her efforts. Let's take a look at Smith's incredibly heroic story. 

That Monday, Sep. 12, 2016, started like any other and Smith didn't think it would end any differently. She'd been a school bus driver since 2014 in College Park, Prince George's County, Maryland, and was experienced at making the school bus rounds.

That afternoon she had just made her third stop when she happened to see that one of the brake lights on the bus had flashed on. She wasn’t overly concerned because the brakes were working fine, so she continued on to the next stop. But she wouldn't even make it to her fourth stop and she barely even made it to the next stop sign.

Moments later, Smith and the children on the bus smelled smoke coming from the back. Smith immediately pulled the bus over and picked up her microphone to call for backup transportation. But before she could even use the radio, she realized that the back of the bus was on fire. She said on "The Ellen Degeneres Show":

“By the time I picked up the mic to call transportation, my bus was on fire.”

That's when she leaped into action. Immediately, the kids lined up and Smith quickly and calmly got them off the bus. However, what she did next made her a true hero. She knew in her soul that she had to make sure every child was off the bus, that no child might have been hiding because they were scared. So Smith got back on the burning bus and went through and checked each seat to make sure every single one of her “babies” made it off safely.  

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While the public and Ellen Degeneres hailed Smith as a real hero for getting back on the bus, the mother of two was very humble about what she did. She explained that her job means that once she picks the kids up on the bus, “they’re my babies until I give them back to you.” 

Nevertheless, the show found out that Smith lived paycheck-to-paycheck, so they teamed up with Shutterfly and gifted her $20,000 when she appeared on the show. However, Smith said she didn’t do anything that anyone else wouldn’t do; she just wanted to make sure her “babies” were off the bus.

Meanwhile, Smith's own community also honored her for her bravery that day. The College Park City Council met in the same month that the fire happened and recognized Smith and fellow community members who came out of their homes to assist during the incident. In a ceremony that took place, Smith was honored with flowers and a plaque that detailed the council's recognition, while she was surrounded by parents of the children who were on the bus. She said:

“I am so overwhelmed with joy in my heart. It has been unexplainable, everything that has been taking place, and, you know, after everything that happened on that day, to be standing here and to be able to be honored.”

The principal of Glenarden Woods Elementary School, Cecelia Jones-Bowlding, called Smith a hero and said:

“It’s wonderful when … we see the love of community. It’s just a fantastic and wonderful thing to see.”  

How great is it to hear about an everyday hero like Renita Smith? You can clearly see how much she loves the children on her school bus. Have you ever met a real-life hero before? Let us know their story, then pass this on to others to spread Smith's heroic tale!