On a Wednesday morning in Forest Hills, Pennsylvania, Kenny Ferree had no intention of becoming a hero — but life had other plans. He was already late for work, so he shouldn’t have been driving down Ardmore Boulevard at the precise moment when a public school bus collided with a sign pole at high speed. But Kenny was present, and his quick response to the accident could have saved a life. On a Wednesday morning in Forest Hills, Pennsylvania, Kenny Ferree had no intention of becoming a hero — but life had other plans.
He was already late for work, so he shouldn’t have been driving down Ardmore Boulevard at the precise moment when a public school bus collided with a sign pole at high speed. But Kenny was present, and his quick response to the accident could have saved a life. “When you looked around, you couldn’t believe there was anything or anyone left,” Kenny said. “It fell apart.”
Kenny pulled into a nearby Taco Bell parking lot and jumped out of his truck without thinking. He climbed the crumpled bus and peered inside, relieved that there were no children inside. The driver was trapped behind the wheel, a gash in his head causing him to bleed profusely. As they waited for help, Kenny removed his sweatshirt and wrapped it around the injured driver’s head, applying pressure. The driver wasn’t thinking clearly, but he told Kenny repeatedly that there were no children on board.
Just moments before the crash, he had dropped them off at Pittsburgh Public School. “Just keep him talking, keep going until the professionals arrive,” Kenny recalls thinking. “I’m not a trained professional. I have no idea what I’m doing. I’m just someone who happened to be in the right place at the right time and tried to help.” When first responders arrived, they had to cut their way through the wrecked bus to free the driver. He was taken to the hospital and was declared stable.
Kenny claims the man was talking as they drove him away in the ambulance, so he believes the man will recover completely. The cause of the crash is still being investigated by authorities. Kenny expresses gratitude for the opportunity to assist because he was running late that morning. “What’s incredible is that I was late today,” he told a reporter. “Explain why.” We can all agree that Kenny was meant to be there right now! Talking to an accident victim and assuring them that help is on its way can make all the difference.