TROUSDALE COUNTY, Tenn. (NewsNation Now) — Severe weather blowing through Tennessee caught one school bus driver off guard Monday morning as he began his shift.
According to NewsNation affiliate WKRN, driver Don Robinson was warming up the bus before heading out on the roads to pick up kids when the storm hit. On the video, the windows can be seen blowing out as the bus flips onto its side.
Robinson managed to keep hold of the steering wheel to steady himself as he rests against the driver’s side window. He called his grandson on his cellphone to rescue him, and made it out the roof hatch safely.
The bus is likely a total loss. Robinson was given a substitute bus and continued on with his normal pickups Tuesday after a day off, likely to enjoy the feeling of firm ground under his feet and give thanks a few dozen times.
The severe weather was part of a larger frontal system that was blamed for six tornadoes and multiple damage reports. A warmer fall than usual has given rise to a greater chance of such storms, as cold fronts hit warm air and create a powder keg for storm activity.