When a bus driver noticed that new street construction was in the path of a blind man, he stopped his bus and went outside to walk him safely across the street.

Gene Hubbard is a 69-year-old from Milwaukee, WI, and for 20 years he has taken the county bus to his office each day. He lost his sight due to diabetes, but with a walking stick, he is still able to manage his way to and from work each day.

“No, I don’t have any plans to retire,” Gene said.

Gene has memorized his bus route, schedule and his way to work, so he is able to navigate his way safely to and from the office. But when construction began on a street he uses, the changes in where people could walk, as well as the construction cones and removed sidewalks made his journey difficult.

“If I don’t have a regular locating point to start from, I may as well be in the middle of the ocean,” Gene said.

As Gene got off the bus at his regular stop, 28-year-old bus driver Thaddaus Turner watched him exit, and reflected for a second, realizing the situation with street construction as Gene prepared to cross the street.

Photo credit: MCTS
He quickly put the bus into park, went outside and offered his arm to Gene, and together they safely walked through the construction and traffic to the other side of the street.

“I knew I had the traffic behind me stopped, because it’s only one-way through there. My concern was getting him across from the opposite direction,” Thaddaus said. “The route was barricaded, it was rough for me as a driver, I can only imagine how rough it was for him.”

Photo credit: MCTS
Passengers on the bus and drivers in their cars watched with hearts opened as Thaddaus kindly and gently walked Gene to the other side of the street.

Sydney Kazmierczak appreciated the moment and took a quick photo on her phone of Thaddaus helping Gene.

“I feel like I was placed there at the right time to capture this moment!!” Sydney shared in a post online. “I am so happy I quickly pulled out my phone to snap the picture! Thaddaus deserves to be recognized!!”

Photo credit: Sydney Kazmierczak
Gene was also deeply grateful.

“I just can’t say enough about all the bus drivers,” Gene said.

You are Loved.