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An OC Transpo driver will receive a commendation for getting out of his bus and standing in deep snow to ensure passengers could board safely during Tuesday’s storm.
The driver, Carlo DiFelice, was caught on a video posted to Facebook by Ottawa’s Adriesca Julot. Viewed more than 600,000 times so far, the video shows the driver, coatless and possibly in dress shoes, helping passengers make their way across a snowbank at a stop on Rideau Street.
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But the 53-year-old DiFelice is having trouble understanding what all the fuss is about. To him, under Tuesday’s gruelling snowfall, helping people in any way possible was just the right thing to do.
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It was my turn to help. Just like everybody else.
“Yesterday was all hands on deck,” he said. “I saw groups of people pushing a car out of a snowbank. I saw one of our superintendents come to help me get my bus unstuck. I saw fire trucks going by. Everyone was out there doing everything they could to make it through yesterday. It was my turn to help. Just like everybody else.”
Hundreds of people have commented on the video to applaud DiFelice, who said he made helping his passengers a regular action throughout the storm.
“Wow the exact same thing just happened to us he was the best bus driver I ever encountered,” said Anna Power George.
“What a wonderful driver! That is commendable! There are still some great drivers out there! Congratulations on a job well done,” wrote Diane Koch Cunningham.
Faith restored in humanity. This bus driver in Ottawa gets out his bus to help his passengers on board. 🏽🏽🏽🏽 it was an incredible thing to witness. We need more individuals like this gentleman in this world.#BeGreat #Ottawarians #Humanity #Finest Find this man! Let him know he has done great! #Like #Share
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DiFelice said in his five years of driving a bus, he’s seen a lot of bad weather. Tuesday’s conditions were not up there with the worst he’s seen, but he said the weather was certainly bad enough to call for all little extra empathy from everybody. He said, that’s likely why so many people are talking about his simple gesture of helping people to board a bus.
“It was an exceptional day. There was a lot of snow in a short period of time,” he said. “I’m just doing my job. Everybody was struggling. It was a challenging situation. I think everybody just bonded together and worked together. People have identified that this is something they would have done if they were in that situation themselves.”
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