TriMet couldn’t be prouder of the awareness, compassion and care demonstrated by bus operator Kunchok Lama.
While driving a Line-72 Killingsworth/82nd Ave bus, Kunchok spotted a man walking alone. He looked frail and confused. He also looked familiar.
It turned out to be an elderly man who had been missing for the past few days. The man, part of Portland’s Tibetan community, does not speak English. But in a miraculous turn of events, Kunchok is a member of the same community and knew the man personally.
After parking his bus, Kunchok hurried out the door, informing riders that the man had been missing. He brought him on board and spoke comforting words in their native language. Soon, police arrived and brought the man back home to a care facility.
This is an amazing story! Finding missing people, assisting those in need and watching over our community — TriMet’s bus operators do it all every day. They crisscross our 533-square-mile service district, acting as the eyes and ears of our community.
See how Kunchok’s story unfolded in this video: