🚌 “The Bus Was Burning, But She Wasn’t Afraid: Renita Smith and the Soul of Prince George’s County”
By Barry O’Connell
Politics & Conscience | September 2025
There are moments when a county’s soul is revealed—not in legislation or campaign slogans, but in the quiet courage of everyday people.
On a September afternoon in 2016, Renita Smith, a school bus driver for Prince George’s County Public Schools, became a living symbol of that soul. Her bus caught fire near College Park, with 20 children onboard, ages 4 to 9.
She didn’t panic.
She didn’t wait.
She evacuated every child, then ran back into the burning bus to make sure no one was left behind.
> “When I’m driving them, you’re my children until I drop you off to your biological parents,” she said. “I have to handle each child with care, as a mommy would her own.”
That’s not just heroism. That’s moral clarity. That’s civic love.
🏆 Recognition and Reverence
Renita Smith was honored by the College Park City Council, celebrated in national media, and embraced by a grateful community. Her story was featured on Good Morning America, The Washington Post, and countless local outlets.
She didn’t ask for fame. She didn’t seek office. She simply did what good people do: she showed up with courage when it counted.
🧭 Reframing the Narrative
Too often, Prince George’s County is judged by its most questionable headlines—by the antics of elected officials who confuse visibility with virtue.
But Renita Smith reminds us:
- The county is not its scandals.
- It is its people.
- The bus drivers, teachers, nurses, and neighbors who make PG County work—who protect its children, honor its elders, and uplift its future.
Let’s not allow reputational noise from figures like Aisha Braveboy, Edward Burroughs, or his political enforcer Krystal Oriadha to drown out the truth. Their drama may dominate the news cycle, but it does not define the county’s character.
💬 A County Worth Fighting For
Prince George’s County is full of Renita Smiths.
- Women who rise early, drive safely, and love fiercely.
- Men who coach youth teams, mentor students, and show up for town halls.
- Families who believe in better, even when leadership disappoints.
This county is not broken. It is bruised but beautiful, and it deserves a narrative that reflects its resilience.
To Renita Smith:
You didn’t just save lives. You saved our faith.
You reminded us that goodness is still the default, and that courage doesn’t need a title.
Prince George’s County is lucky to have you.
And we’re lucky to be reminded that the soul of a place lives in its people—not its politics.