A bus operator in Milwaukee did more than transport passengers on his route Dec. 17—he rescued a missing boy from the cold Wisconsin night.

All Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) operators received a data message at 9:48 p.m. from the MCTS Dispatch Office, at the request of local law enforcement, describing a missing 9-year-old boy. Operator Mike Karges was returning to service from a layover around 11:41 p.m. when he noticed a child walking along the side of the road. Then he noticed that the boy was wearing a school uniform tie, matching the description from earlier.

Karges pulled over his bus and walked to the boy, who spoke very little English. He got the child to board the bus, then called dispatch for assistance.

"He must’ve been freezing; all he had on was a sport coat,” Karges said. “I bundled him up in my big winter jacket and gave him a candy cane I’d gotten from my supervisor at the station earlier.”

While waiting to hear back from dispatch, Karges flagged down a passing West Allis, WI, police officer, who assisted with the child and called the Milwaukee Police Department so the boy could be reunited with his family. As for Karges, he finished his route and managed to get his bus back on schedule.

“I’m happy it turned out this way; it could’ve been a lot worse,” he said. “I’m glad we can help. I have two children of my own, and I know what his parents must’ve been going through.”

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