A Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART) bus operator has been hailed as a hero after she sprang into action to rescue a small child found wandering alone in the street.
Barbara Baker, who was driving Route 12 in Florida, noticed the child walking in the roadway and immediately stopped her bus to intervene. Footage from inside the vehicle revealed the moment Baker rushed from her driver’s seat and ran down the street to reach the child who was still wearing pajamas.
In an interview for HART after the incident, Baker said: “When I’m driving, I always look way ahead. I looked and I said, ‘Is that a baby?’ And I looked again, I see no shoes, I see pajamas. I said, ‘Oh my God, that’s a baby.’ My heart just dropped.“
The child wasn’t able to communicate where his home was, so Baker brought him back to the safety of the bus. She then contacted HART operations, which alerted the Tampa Police Department.
Officers arrived shortly after and began knocking on doors in the surrounding neighborhood. “When the police came, it’s like I almost wanted to cry because I thought about my grandbabies,” Baker said.
Within about 20 minutes, the officers located the boy’s mother and confirmed she was his legal guardian. They revealed that the boy had walked two blocks from his home, but, thanks to Baker’s quick thinking, the child was safely reunited with his family.
“Sometimes, it makes me want to cry. Like, now I feel a little emotional, but knowing that the baby is home, that’s a big thing for me,” Baker said.
“This is a powerful reminder that our operators do far more than drive buses—they also serve as guardians of the community every single day,” HART CEO Scott Drainville said in a statement. “Operator Baker’s courage and attentiveness exemplify the dedication and heart that define our team.”
When HART shared the story on its Facebook page, the community rallied to praise Baker too.
“Thank you, Ms. Baker. Thank you, transit workers,” wrote one commenter, while another added: “Kudos to Ms. Baker, you are a true transit hero.”
“Beautiful! There are some who would have continued on their way. Good work, Operator Baker!” said a third commenter.
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