Ohio Edison Meter Readers Stacey Smith and Jason Edler recently were traveling along the same stretch of highway – just a few cars apart – to start their daily customer routes. It was a clear February morning, and both employees took note of decreased visibility due to intense sun glare.

In an instant, their day took an unexpected turn. A sedan traveling in the opposite direction hit a small school bus that had entered the roadway from a side street. The heavy impact demolished the front of the bus and sent the car careening off the road and into a field. Stacey and Jason pulled their vehicles over to a safe location and went to see how they could assist.

Stacey called 9-1-1 while Jason checked on the injured motorist. The driver had crawled out of the car and had blood running down his face from a gash on his forehead. After Stacey arrived, Jason went to see if the driver of the school bus was hurt. She was shaken up but not seriously injured, and the one student on the bus also appeared to be unharmed. Jason grabbed a first aid kit from the bus and went back to assist Stacey.

“By this time, other drivers and local residents had arrived to see how they could help,” said Jason, who joined the company in 2014. “One guy brought us a roll of paper towels that we used to try to stop the bleeding from the injured motorist’s forehead, and another person brought a blanket that we used to keep him warm. It was great to see so many people expressing concern and pitching in to help.”

While rendering aid, Stacey discovered that the accident victim was a student on his way to a local vocational school. She held his hand and tried to keep him calm and awake by talking about school, his family and any other topic that came to mind. When his parents called his phone, she answered to explain what happened and then provided updates until the paramedics arrived.

“I think my instincts as a mom took over,” recalled Stacey, who has been with the company for six years. “I just kept thinking that if this was my son, I would want someone here to comfort him. I tried to fill that roll as best I could.”

Stacey and Jason both mentioned that they have never been in this type of situation before, and hope to never experience anything like it again.

“When something like this happens, you can’t just drive by and do nothing,” said Jason. “Whether it’s your kid or someone else’s kid, you want to do everything you can to help.”

The injured motorist was treated for his injuries and then released from the hospital a few days later.

“I’m just glad we could provide comfort during a difficult situation,” added Stacey. “So many people stopped to offer assistance – it was really heartwarming to see. With everything going on in the world, it helped to restore my faith in human nature.”

According to Bill Hudson, supervisor, Regional Meter Reading, he is not surprised by the actions his meter readers took to help people in their time of need. “Stacey and Jason both have that type of personality where if they see a problem, they immediately want to lend a hand,” he said. “They are both very conscientious about their work and top-notch when it comes to performing tasks safely. I’m proud of how they represent our company and the dedication they show to Ohio Edison customers every day.”