Bruno, like Bilbo Baggins, saves the day
Grace Kraus, Editor • November 5, 2014 • Leave a Comment
The friendly lunch man, Don Hoffman, is the pinnacle of what is great about Crete High School.
He knows the names of students he doesn’t see but 30 minutes a day and has a striking
resemblance to Santa Claus. Students may all know of him and appreciate his presence during
the lunch hour, but there is a lot more to be known about Hoffman. He teaches at the alternative
school during the day and acts as a bus driver for several special education students at the high
school. He is basically Santa Claus of Crete High… just with a van. And he, his van, and one
brave student may have just saved a life.
CHS Student Abraham Bruno, freshman, acted
quickly when he saw a man in distress last month.
The City of Crete recognized his actions and
awarded him, thanking him for his service.
“I like riding with Mr. Hoffman. He always gives
me books and treats, sometimes. He gives me all sorts of books, like The Hatchet, books about
UFOs and The 16 Hand Horse,” freshman Abraham Bruno said. “I keep telling him stories. I tell
him about the Lego Movie and about The Hobbit, like how Bilbo Baggins fights the spiders.”
Mayor Foster,
Abraham Bruno, Don
Hoffman and Chief
Steve Hensel line up
for a photo with the
Community Service
awards. The awards
are for stopping to
help an elderly man
off a road.
The dynamic between
Hoffman and Bruno
is representative of
the school system of
Crete, but it also facilitated Bruno being able to convince Hoffman to turn his van around on the
ride home one day. When he saw an older resident of Crete laying in a ditch on the side of the
road, Bruno made sure to get Hoffman’s attention, so they would go back and check on the man.
“The man could have died,” Bruno said, which was reinstated during an awards ceremony held
for both Bruno and Hoffman.
Bruno continued by describing the event.
“… I saw him on the North side of Crete. He was lying down and had a cane with a tennis ball
on it and a sombrero. I told Don what I saw, and we went back and stayed with the man until the
CPD (Crete Police Department) appeared. He couldn’t speak English. He spoke Spanish, so we
just stayed there until the Police Department came.”
Earlier that week, the man had been reported missing by his granddaughter. He had wandered
away from home and wasn’t capable of getting back by himself.
Due to the actions of both Bruno and Hoffman, the City of Crete presented them with a
Community Service Award in a ceremony October 20. Mayor Foster, Police Chief Steve Hensel,
and the rest of the police force helped in presenting it. The police took the opportunity to inform
the audience on what to do in emergencies. Bruno gave an example of what is necessary for
others to do — act.
Bruno states that not much has changed since the incident. He is proud of what he did and
encourages other to do the same if they ever face a similar event. His mom is also immensely
proud and a photo of Bruno with Mr. Hoffman and Mayor Foster now hangs on their wall. He
still rides home courtesy of Hoffman’s driving and a school van, but they do so together with
more caution in their minds.
“I thought I was seeing things. We went back to see if I was seeing things, which is good,”
Bruno said.
Going back was the right decision.
The Alzheimer’s America website states 50 percent of people 85 years old and over have
Alzheimer’s. Many die every year after wandering from their homes or family. It’s important to
be vigililent for those who can’t act on their own.
“It’s a great story and always a proud moment for the community when one of its own makes a
difference through their efforts,” Mayor Roger Foster said.