'Hero' London bus driver saves boy's life

Updated
Heroic London bus driver saves boy with nut allergy's life
Heroic London bus driver saves boy with nut allergy's life



A London bus driver has been hailed a hero after he saved a teenager's life last month.

James Rossi was driving the number 268 bus when a passenger approached him explaining that he'd had a bad allergic reaction to nuts.

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The boy told the bus driver that he needed to get hold of his EpiPen, which was at home, as soon as possible.

Knowing how serious this could become, Rossi announced to the rest of the passengers on board that the bus would not be making its scheduled stops but instead driving directly to Golders Green, the Evening Standard reports.

The 268 route usually runs between the O2 centre in Finchley, all the way through to Golders Green station.

"I didn't know if it was a life or death situation, but I knew it was important, I knew I had to do something," Rossi told the Ham&High. "His face was bright red and puffy and his eyes were bloodshot and watering, so when he told me he had to get home, I just said no problem, shut the door and off we went."

Not only did the bus driver go directly the Golders Green without stopping, he dropped the ill teenager directly outside his front door.

Rossi told the Standard: "He said it was an allergic reaction to nuts. I didn't know if his life was at risk but I knew he needed his pen. I said to the passengers: 'I'm not picking anyone up, and I'm not stopping unless I have to. If anyone needs off, press the bell.'

The quick-thinking bus driver said that only one passenger pressed the bell to get off while the rest kept quiet.

Rossi was able to get the boy to his home in Golders Green in about five minutes, which he explained is a lot faster than it would usually take.

He didn't think anything else of the incident until his manager contacted to ask whether it had been him that had helped someone with an allergic reaction.

It turns out the young boy's mother had contacted the bus depot to thank Rossi for his life-saving actions.

The director of TfL's buses, Mike Weston, said: "James's actions undoubtedly prevented the young man from becoming seriously ill and may even have saved his life. His quick thinking and decisive actions are in the finest traditions of the capital's bus drivers."




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