TIFTON — The Tift County Schools Board of Education offered its sincere thanks to a bus driver who potentially saved the life of a Tifton resident while on the job.

Board members were proud to present bus driver Melissa Ward with a Beyond the T Award during their Feb. 13 meeting, thanking her for her efforts in rescuing Anne Barber from her burning home while out making her bus route.

Chief information officer Dana Spurlin explained that Ward had noticed Barber’s home was on fire while driving her route, and after calling 911 and reporting the incident, went to bang on the woman’s door to help get her out of the burning building.

Ward was joined by Barber as she received her Beyond the T Award, once again expressing her gratitude for Ward’s heroism.

School superintendent Natalie Gore additionally revealed that Barber happened to be the mother of two employees of Tift County Schools, admiring and appreciating how Ward was able to touch and change the lives of two of her coworkers that she had never even met.