Bus Driver Rescues Nonverbal Teen in Freezing Weather
An uplifting story unfolds in Wheeling, Illinois.
A commendable act by a bus driver in Wheeling, Illinois, has garnered attention after he noticed a teenager with special needs braving the harsh cold in only a shirt.
Urijah / CBS Chicago
Fourteen-year-old Urijah Briggs wandered from home early Tuesday morning amidst sub-zero temperatures. His mother, Trey Briggs, became alarmed after discovering their front door ajar and Urijah’s room empty.
“It was negative five. He had no shoes, no pants, and no coat,” Briggs said. “He was walking through snow and ice. He doesn’t know how to cross the street.”
Urijah, nonverbal by nature, was fortunately spotted by bus driver Freddy Leon during his usual route. Understanding the critical situation, Leon offered the teen sanctuary on the bus for warmth, awaiting the arrival of officials.
Briggs credits Leon for averting serious harm. “I think he saved my son’s feet because he was stepping directly on ice and snow. His hands have blisters,” she expressed.
Wheeling police promptly arrived but initially struggled to identify Urijah due to his communication limitations. The department’s Return Home Safe program, which archives key details about special needs and nonverbal individuals, enabled a swift family reunion.
“This is our first real success story,” noted Sgt. Richard Giltner, who pioneered the program in 2022, driven by personal experience with his own nonverbal child with cerebral palsy.
Despite the accolades, Leon stays modest, with his employer at First Student highlighting the rarity of his actions.
“Freddy just said, ‘That’s what people do.’ And I told him—’Freddy, that’s the issue. That’s not what people do,'” remarked location manager Curt Collins.
Watch the video below.
