In spite of evidence to the contrary, Ambrose Younge doesn’t consider himself to be a hero.
As a bus driver for Metro Transit in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Ambrose says his favorite part of the job is helping people. One snowy day in February, as the Twin Cities were pelted with snow and sleet from a winter storm, he got his chance to help someone who truly needed it.
Ambrose had just finished his route and was turning his bus around when he saw something that didn’t sit right with him. A boy who Ambrose estimated was between 4 and 6 years old was wearing a school backpack and standing on the snowy sidewalk, all by himself.
Ambrose’s instincts kicked in instantly. He knew in-person school was canceled that day due to the weather, and he couldn’t figure any other reason why a child would be alone in a snowstorm. When he saw the child attempt to get into a car and then fall in the street when the car drove away, he knew the boy needed his help.
“As a bus operator, it’s my job to take care of people,” said Ambrose. “Here’s a kid in need – I need to get him someplace safe and warm.”
“I could tell the child was very anxious,” Ambrose recalled. “He was non-verbal and difficult to communicate with, but I kept an eye on him and kept talking to him.”
Ambrose got the child safely onto his bus, then called his supervisor at the Transit Control Center. They checked missing child reports in the area, and there it was: a missing 9-year-old with autism who wandered away from home about 15 blocks away, in north Minneapolis.
Thanks to Ambrose, the boy was reunited with his family, who were beyond grateful for the assistance. Even after the Metro Transit shared the story online, Ambrose refuses to accept the “hero” label.
“I consider myself a dad because that’s what I would hope someone would do for my child,” he said.
“I guess we’re guardians of the city… not the galaxy, just the city!” he explained with a smile.
On Feb. 22, Ambrose noticed a young child with a backpack standing outside in the cold on a snow day when classes were canceled. “Here’s a kid in need — I need to get him someplace safe and warm.” Read the full story about saving the lost child at https://t.co/TjcSWDIN8t pic.twitter.com/uJjWkney0c
– Metro Transit (@MetroTransitMN) March 10, 2023
“Guardians of the city!” We love that moniker, and it seems very appropriate for Ambrose in this situation. We’re very grateful he was paying attention so he could help that boy get home!
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