A North Carolina's Middle School’s students and staff gathered last week to thank a school bus driver for her bravery.
Deona Washington helped 28 students to safety after a school bus caught fire on Friday. It took 11 Durham firefighters about 15 minutes to control Friday's fire with the bus sustaining significant damage. Firefighters were called around 2 p.m. Friday. "My first thought was, 'Let's move' because it's diesel [fuel]," Washington said. "We gotta move from it, get away from it."
The district said it helped all 28 students who were on the bus to safely get to where they needed to go.
"Nobody panicked," Washington said. "I kept them calm. That was my main goal. If I keep them calm, then I can stay calem and the it'll be a smooth ride."
Students assembled in front of the school on Tuesday afternoon to thank Deona for her bravery. She was given flowers and a Hero T-shirt.
Students clapped and cheered for Deona, who has driven a school bus for 11 years.