Hero Bus Driver Saves Nonverbal Teen Found Barefoot In Freezing Cold

February 21, 2025

Today's good news story comes from Wheeling, Illinois.

A bus driver in Wheeling, Illinois, is being praised for his quick thinking after spotting a teenager with disabilities outside in dangerously cold weather, dressed only in a shirt.

bus driver hero
Urijah / CBS Chicago

The teenager, 14-year-old Urijah Briggs, had wandered away from home early Tuesday morning when temperatures had plummeted below zero. His mother, Trey Briggs, immediately knew something was wrong when she noticed the front door unlocked and Urijah’s bedroom door open.

"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, who is nonverbal, was spotted by bus driver Freddy Leon while he was on his regular route. Realizing the severity of the situation, Leon brought the teen onto the bus to warm up and waited for authorities to arrive.

Briggs believes Leon's actions prevented serious injury. "I think he saved my son’s feet because he was stepping directly on ice and snow. His hands have blisters," she said.

Wheeling police officers quickly arrived but faced a challenge in identifying Urijah due to his communication barriers. Fortunately, the department’s Return Home Safe program, which maintains a database of identifying information for special needs and nonverbal residents, helped officers reunite him with his family.

"This is our first real success story," said Sgt. Richard Giltner, who developed the program in 2022. Inspired by his own nonverbal son with cerebral palsy, Giltner created the initiative to assist in cases like Urijah’s.

While Leon remains humble about his actions, his employer at First Student emphasized the extraordinary nature of what he did.

"Freddy just said, 'That’s what people do.' And I told him—'Freddy, that’s the issue. That’s not what people do,'" said location manager Curt Collins.

Watch the video below.