As a mother of two boys attending Oak Point Elementary, I’ve grown accustomed to the routine of meeting them at the bus stop each afternoon. However, Wednesday, Feb. 28, was far from routine. It marked the day when Grace Church hosted the funerals of Burnsville first responders, prompting road closures and changes to bus routes.
Typically, my boys’ bus arrives home around 2:30 p.m. On this particular Wednesday, however, as the funeral procession got underway, their bus encountered road closures at the intersection of Eden Prairie Road and Pioneer Trail. .
As I sat in my car, refreshing the district’s bus app and waiting, I received a call from an officer with the Eden Prairie Police Department (EPPD). She informed me that she was with my boys on the bus, which couldn’t proceed further due to the road closures. We discussed possible solutions, including having an EPPD lieutenant escort my boys home.
I was grateful for the unexpected kindness. Soon after, Lt. Jess Irmiter arrived at our home with the boys. Their faces lit up with excitement at the unexpected adventure. We were greeted with tales of driving in the procession and waving to the first responders. “We said ‘hi’ and ‘thank you,’ my youngest son Jack told us upon their arrival. “It was so cool!”
I am thankful for Lt. Irmiter, the Eden Prairie Police Department, and Eden Prairie Schools. Their actions have left a lasting impression on our family.
Comments
We offer several ways for our readers to provide feedback. Your comments are welcome on our social media posts (Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn). We also encourage Letters to the Editor; submission guidelines can be found on our Contact Us page. If you believe this story has an error or you would like to get in touch with the author, please connect with us.