A simple story of human kindness is making its rounds on social media, tracing a trail of feel-good anecdotes about Fredericton bus drivers and their passengers.
Michael Dubee was driving a city bus on Tuesday when an older woman requested a stop. Looking at the pathway to her door, he noticed the driveway hadn’t been shovelled.
"... if we were all were like this gentlemen this world would be a better place."
— Jerry Love, passenger
A winter storm had dropped 12 centimetres of snow on the city the day before, setting a frosty sheet atop walkways.
“Her little walker was not going to get through it,” the Fredericton bus driver told CBC News. “So I helped her off the bus and I just carried her walker and gave her my arm and got her to the door.”
Also on the bus was passenger Jerry Love, who witnessed the Dubee’s act of kindness and wanted to find a way to recognize him for his actions.
He posted two photos of Betty Hann and Dubee (in short sleeves) walking arm-in-arm to Facebook, along with the message, “Shoutout goes to the city bus driver who walked this senior citizen to their apartment in a snowstorm if we were all were like this gentlemen this world would be a better place.”
He ended the caption with a smiley face.
Both Dubee and Love’s Facebook accounts became flooded with notifications and comments praising both men’s actions.
“What a great bus driver and such a nice young man to make sure the driver is being recognized. Good job!” wrote Gail Sherwood.
“I just think the world needs more people like him,” Love said about Dubee.
The driver told the public broadcaster his phone “has blown up” with all the positive remarks that have been sent his way.
"He's a Maritimer and that's what we do!"
As for Hann, she has a sweet reputation for herself around town.
“She's a wonderful lady, I've helped her myself before. She offered me clementines,” said Meghan Forbes.
And in the rush of attention, Dubee couldn't help but throw the spotlight to the other Fredericton bus drivers who have been known to go out of their way to get passengers home safely even after they leave their vehicles’ doors.
Last year, a photo of bus driver Kyle Gregg was taken by someone who witnessed him helping a another elderly woman walk to her door on one of the city’s iciest days.
“He's a Maritimer and that's what we do! Hats off to this fellow!” wrote one commenter.
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