Last Friday, a Buffalo Metro bus operator was doing what he always does, cruising down Elmwood Avenue taking our friends and neighbors where they have to go. 

Aboard his #20 Elmwood bus were folks coming home from work, students headed home from school, people going shopping or going to or from medical appointments. It was no different than any other day for Darnell Barton until, wait a second -- was that a young lady perched outside the railing on the bridge crossing the 198? You know the expressway that's as hard to pronounce as it is to spell, the Scajaquada?

The "NFTA Transporter" quotes the bus operator, "It didn't seem real because what was going on around, traffic and pedestrians were going by as normal."

He pulled up alongside, opened the door of the bus and asked the woman if she was OK.
She didn't answer. Barton could see that she was troubled, so he got out of the bus and approached her. He asked her if she wanted to come back to the other side of the guardrail. She spoke for the first time, answering “Yes.” He then took her by the arm and assisted her back over the railing.

They sat on the sidewalk and talked for a few minutes. They were eventually joined by two other good Samaritans and the Buffalo Police. Approximately 20 students from McKinley High School sat on the bus, on their best behavior, throughout the incident (which can be difficult for students with plenty of energy built up sitting in class all day). They gave Darnell a round of applause when he returned to bus. Then he went about finishing his route.

Kimberley A. Minkel, NFTA Executive Director said, “We are all extremely proud of Darnell’s heroic actions. His quick and calm response during a very stressful situation speaks volumes about his character and his unwavering willingness to help someone in need.”

Darnell replied, “I feel like I did what I was supposed to do at the time. I'm a football guy so when you sit the bench and the coach calls your number, you gotta go in there make a play, do what the play calls for, and I think that's what I did.”

Just another example of Buffalo truly being the City Of Good Neighbors!

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