Beloved school bus duo, Mr. Bear and Ms. GiGi, bring joy, care to students on every ride
Glenn Goldthwaite is one of those drivers. However
By Ed DiOrio
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ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — Another school year of early mornings, starting engines, picking up and dropping off kids is in the books for bus drivers at Asheville City Schools.
“It’s been over three years, and I haven’t missed a day of work,” driver Glenn Goldthwaite said. “It’s because the kids are so important.”
Glenn Goldthwaite is one of those drivers. However, there are a few differences on Bus 153.
One of those is Glenn’s wife, Gwen. She works with Glenn to assist with the kids.
“I don’t have to worry about it,” Glenn said. “She takes care of the back of this bus.”
The thing is, nobody knows them as Glenn and Gwen.
“I’m ‘Mr. Bear,’ and she’s ‘Miss GiGi,’” Glenn explained.
The two have one mission each day.
“We are having a good time,” Glenn said. “We do on this bus.”
“With Bear and GiGi, [my son] doesn’t want to come home,” parent Angel Benavidez said. “He just wants to keep on riding and having fun with them.”
The dynamic duo wasn’t always having fun behind the wheel.
Glenn worked with hospice children for over 20 years, while GiGi worked with in-home care. That experience translates well to what they’re currently doing.
“You just have to find what they connect with,” Miss GiGi said, “whether it’s pop-its, coloring — whatever it is.”
“The first day, they were wearing animal hats with little floppy ears,” Benavidez said. “They were so positive, outgoing and welcoming to my son.”
“I have 46 different hats like the one you saw me wearing,” Mr. Bear said. “I wear a different one every day so the kids will laugh.”
“They’re really committed,” Elliot said. “They have conversations to make sure my son’s comfortable. They’re really great.”
Through all the hats, outfits, celebrations — whether things are good or bad — that’s where the magic happens.
The friendships don’t stop when the bus reaches the end of the day.
“We have gone to ballet recitals, wrestling matches, basketball games and birthdays,” Mr. Bear recalled.
“We went to a ballet recital just a couple weeks ago,” Miss GiGi said. “The youngest girl said, ‘Miss GiGi, will you dress fancy?’ I said, ‘Yes, I’ll dress fancy.’”
“Sometimes, to give some single parents a break, they’ll pick [the kids] up on Friday and take them to the baseball game out here,” Elliot said.
“They dropped off my son with a gift before Christmas break happened,” Benavidez said.
The parents aren’t left out on the fun, either.
“When my kids have a good day, I call the parents and say, ‘Guess what? They had an awesome day today,’” Miss GiGi said. “I want them to know that, even if it’s not a bad report, I’m still going to call them. It doesn’t take money; it takes a little time and attention.”
“It’s the most relief that a mother could ever ask for,” Benavidez said. “It’s like an aunt and uncle driving him to and from school.”
“We try to do the extra mile,” Mr. Bear said. “We don’t get paid extra for it. We do it because we love these kids. [A bus] is a big yellow cylinder. That’s what it is. When there’s kids in it, fill it with imagination, love… give them an opportunity, it turns into a submarine. A big yellow submarine that’s rolling through the ocean of life.”
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