Bus Driver Didn’t Think Photo Holding Kid’s Hand Was “Big Deal” – Local Police Thought Differently

Oct 09, 2020

A new school year can be frightening for students of all ages, but it’s hardest on kids who’ve never been before. Axel is one little boy who can attest that it’s scary to get on the bus and head off into the great unknown.

Thankfully, he had an unexpected friend step forward to help him turn his frown into a smile. This video from 2019 captured the sweet moment. 

Axel’s mom, Amy Johnson, explains that when her little boy was starting pre-school last week, she was excited about the occasion and was happy to catch pictures of him anxiously preparing for his first day of school.

While Axel was initially excited about heading off to the 4K class that is held in an elementary school setting, he quickly became nervous. By the time that he was climbing onto the school bus, his happiness was gone and he was starting to cry. Amy had to pick the little boy up and walk him into the bus so that she could position him in a seat.

This was when bus driver, Isabel Lane, stepped up to be a hero. Isabel pointed toward the seat that was directly behind her and suggested that he sit there. While his mom was trying to comfort him by telling him about all the fun he would have at school, he didn’t believe it and kept grabbing for her. To help him out, Isabel offered her hand and the little boy latched on, glad to have anyone that he could cling to, reports NBC.

Before they left, Amy Johnson captured a photo of her little boy holding hands with the soft-hearted bus driver. Realizing that it was too good not to share, Amy put the photo on Facebook and it was shared by the Augusta Police Department.

"I could see that he needed to be comforted and that was the best I could do at the time," said Isabel to NBC.

Overwhelmed by the kindness of the bus driver, people were quick to comment on how nice she is and how much they appreciated her efforts to comfort the little boy. Now that the first-day jitters have worn off, Axel loves to go to school and looks forward to not only it but also the bus ride itself.

The heroic bus driver has been working with the school for less than a year; however, she takes her job very seriously. She explains that she considers her job as a driver as a chance to cheer the kids on and start their day out on the right foot. We’re sure that Axel isn’t the last kid that Isabel will be inspiring!

Do you remember having anyone who gave you the support you needed on your first day of school? Let us know in the comments, and make sure you pass this along to your friends and family!