The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) and Ride On recognized operator Ruize Bell, a 63-year-old father of ten, who on the morning of April 30 suffered a fatal heart attack while driving his bus on MD 355. In an act of heroism, Ruize was able to pull his bus over safely, protecting the riders in his bus and those around it, before he sadly died.
“We are proud to call Mr. Bell one of our own, and extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends.” MCDOT shared on social media this past weekend. In a statement following Bell’s death, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich shared the following:
“Mr. Bell was behind the wheel of the southbound Route 355 bus when it happened, and even in that moment, he was thinking about the people around him — bringing the bus to a safe stop and preventing what could have been an even greater tragedy. That kind of calm under pressure tells you a lot about the person he was.
[Ruize] had been with the County since 2012 and was a proud MCGE0 shop steward. He showed up every day for his job, for his riders and for his coworkers. People knew him for his humor, his kindness and the way he made the workday a little lighter — not because he had to, but because that’s who he was.
He leaves behind his wife and ten children, six girls and four boys. He loved golf, the Dallas Cowboys, and grilling. He was 63 years old and lived in Gaithersburg.”