Brandon bus drivers rallied to aid their Goodrich counterparts, volunteering to cover routes so Goodrich drivers could attend the funeral of Goodrich Middle School student Cayn Nance. The boy died Oct. 20 following a traffic accident near Kipp Road and M-15.
Nance’s mother is a bus driver for Goodrich Area Schools.
‘Bus drivers just always stick together,? said Betty Martin, transportation director for Brandon Schools.
Eight bus drivers volunteered to cover the routes in groups of two’one to navigate, one to drive’and even went so far as to refuse pay for their efforts offered to them by Goodrich Area Schools.
‘They didn’t think twice about it,? said Martin. ‘They stepped right up to the plate without hesitation.?
Drivers D.J. McFall, Debbie Broecker, Bea Ellis, Debbie Buxbaum, Fay and Armand Carmona, Chris Mersino and Claudia Stahl all volunteered to cover the mid-day routes.
‘They need help and hopefully we never need the same,? said Stahl, ‘but I know if we did, they would help.?
Because of the outpouring of community support, ‘every bus driver in the district is able to attend the funeral,? said Cindy Forsyth, transportation supervisor for Goodrich Area Schools.
‘We just figured, ‘you know what, it could be us,?? said Broecker.