Heroic Bus Driver Evacuates Students Amid Tornado in Sherrard

In Sherrard, Illinois, a remarkable tale of bravery and quick thinking unfolded as a derecho, a powerful storm system, brought 16 tornadoes to the Quad Cities region on the morning of May 24. Among these was an EF-1 tornado that touched down in Coyne Center, Rock Island County. In the face of imminent danger, Sherrard bus driver Rose Smith, with 26 years of experience and never having needed to evacuate her bus before, acted swiftly to ensure the safety of the approximately 50 students under her charge.
As the tornado approached, Smith evacuated the students from the bus and led them to the safety of the old Coyne Center School, where they sheltered in place for about ten minutes. This quick action was met with fear and anxiety among the students, with fifth grader Jaxon Beaulieu and his classmate Knox Driessens expressing their immediate concern for their safety and reaching out to their parents.
Throughout her career, Smith had never faced such a perilous situation, but she emphasized her duty to protect the children on her bus, treating them as if they were her own. The students, including Jaxon, Knox, and another child named Cayden Smith, later expressed their gratitude to “Miss Rose” for her decisive actions that day, recognizing the significance of her efforts after witnessing some of the tornado’s destruction in Coyne Center.
The EF-1 tornado confirmed by the National Weather Service caused significant damage, including to a large outbuilding on the Coyne family farm and multiple trees. It touched down around 7:52 a.m., traveling northeast for about 20 miles through Rock Island and Henry Counties before dissipating near Green River, Illinois, around 8:16 a.m. Wind speeds reached 110 mph with a maximum width of approximately 50 yards, marking a moment of crisis that showcased the valor of individuals like Smith in the face of natural disasters.