Copy of email sent to Carihi:
I wanted to pass along that two of your female students were almost killed this week.
They were walking along the sidewalk in pouring rain and texting, hoodies up, turned left and both bolted in front of me. Luckily I was a city bus driver in Vancouver in the 80’s, had extensive training on looking far ahead and this may have just saved them. I came within about 10 feet of them, slammed on my brakes and hopefully scared them to death.
Let me step back a moment now.
In 1981 on Christmas Eve on Granville Street, it was a mad house with people running everywhere. As I pulled out of my stop, a young teenager had a massive seizure, fell hitting his head very hard and splitting his head wide open.
Because of his large backpack he rolled on his side but both legs went in front of my rear tires.
Both legs snapped, his one arm as well and when I realized what had happened, I jumped out and everyone was yelling, look, the bus driver killed someone.
When I ran to him, he was in full convulsions and then passed out while I was holding him with blood streaming out of him everywhere.
This was 35 years ago, he survived and I will never ever forget it. My daughter graduated from Carihi a few years back and I am a freshly-retired teacher.
Please do not make me or anyone else’s families ever go through this as everyone should have a high school graduation and thank you.
Jim Young