In an instant, you can go from being an average person to a real hero. This is what happened to one boy named Rocco Arcese, and it was all while he was headed to Joyce Kilmer Middle School in New Jersey.
At first, it seemed like a typical day for the fourth-grader. But by 10 AM, he was being praised for his quick actions.
The 11-year-old had been going about his daily routine: getting ready for school and heading for the bus stop. He was the first stop on the busโs route, so he usually didnโt have to wait long.
When the school bus arrived, Rocco got on the bus and rode barely 300 yards on Chapel Road before he started smelling something odd.
He could smell some type of burning that reminded him of burnt rubber and figured it would be best to alert the driver. In an interview with CBS New York, he explained:
โI was like, โWe should get off.โ
โAnd he was like, โYeah, Iโm packing up!โ
Thanks to Roccoโs quick thinking and keen sense of smell, he and the bus driver managed to get off the bus only moments before it burst into flames.
The engine compartment at the front of the vehicle had experienced a mechanical problem, firefighters later elaborated. Within minutes, flames engulfed the school bus, ravaging its front end and destroying the seats.
โIt was very hot. The scene was very hot,โ said Roccoโs mom, Stacy Perone-Arcese.
Police and firefighters immediately responded to the scene, and the bus ultimately had to be towed.
While respondents were attending to the fire, Rocco phoned his mom, telling her he needed to be picked up. When she arrived, she was stopped by a police officer.
โThe officer told me they talked to Rocco, that he was safe, and that he was very calm, very brave,โ she said.
โThey said he was the calmest kid theyโd ever seen in a situation like that.โ
โI didnโt freak out. I donโt know why,โ Rocco later admitted.
Stacy wasnโt totally surprised by her sonโs reaction. As an award-winning downhill racer, he seems to perform well under pressure. โThatโs the kind of kid he is,โ she told the Mahwah-Ramsey Daily Voice. โNothing rattles him.โ
โIโm kind of glad there werenโt other kids on that bus,โ she continued. โThey mightโve been scared. Roccoโs something else: He knew what to do.โ
According to the fourth-grader, this isnโt the first time heโs smelled smoke on a school bus โ but both he and his mother hope it is the last.
A couple of weeks after the fire, the Mahwah Fire Department posted a photo on Facebook, along with the following message:
โLast Night Rocco Arcese was made an honorary Mahwah Firefighter by Chief Warnet. On June 12th Rocco smelled smoke on his school bus and immediately told the driver. The driver then pulled over and with Rocco exited the bus. Soon after the bus was completely in flames. Thanks to Rocco saying something nobody was hurt. We welcome Rocco into our ranks and look forward to seeing him at drill nights.โ
โRocco also received commendations by our elected officials but we know he probably wants to start driving Engine 425 more than anything.โ
Thank goodness Rocco spoke up about the smell โ he really did save the day! Check out the video below to hear him talk about the scary incident.
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